Atlante Jackson: Daughter of the Gods
by Cytryne
Summary: Atlante Jackson is everything Percy could want for a twin. She's pretty, smart, and funny. But not everything is what it seems with her. She isn't even supposed to exist. How can she, and her family survive a daughter of Artemis and Hades?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi, I'm Cytryne. This is my first Fanfic, so I beg you to review. It's about a child of Artemis and Hades who will be mortal until she comes of age.**

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is Rick Riordan's, this is being written for enjoyment only, no profit is being made from this.**

In a nondescript room on Olympus, Artemis and Hades were looking down on a baby, their baby, with Poseidon ready to take the child to a women, who would take care of the child until they meet again.

_Twelve Years Later_

As my idiot brother/cousin is probably telling you, you don't want to be a half-blood.

If you think you might to be one, stop reading. Believe whatever you've been told by your parents, and never so much as think of this again.

Being a half-blood is scary, dangerous, and most of the time it makes you die in a painful way.

If you're normal and are reading this for fun, go on. You're lucky. Before this happened, I thought I was just like you. A normal, plain girl- though others would disagree- with only the problems of one.

But STOP READING immediately if you recognize yourself in me or my brother. Because if you recognize it, THEY will too. Then, it'll only be a matter of time before you are in our place.

Don't say I didn't tell you.

My name is Tala Jackson. Well, actually it's Atlante Jackson, but really, who would go by that willingly?

I'm twelve years old and have a twin brother, Percy. Until a few months ago, we were boarding students at Yancy Academy, a private school for troubled kids in upstate New York.

Are we troubled kids?

Yeah I guess, me more than Percy.

I could start at any point in our short life to prove it, but things really started happening last May, when our class took a field trip to Manhattan- twenty-eight insane kids and two teachers on a school bus, going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to look at ancient Greek and Roman stuff.

I thought it sounded fun, but Percy hated it. And I guess he has a point, I mean, how are we supposed to stand still for hours in a row?

The nicest part was that Mr. Brunner, our Latin teacher, was in charge of this trip. I honestly believe that that was the only thing making Percy stay awake.

So anyway, Mr. Brunner was this middle-aged dude in a motorized wheelchair. He had barely any hair and a scraggly beard and always wore a tweed jacket that smelled like coffee. You would think he'd be really boring in class, but he told jokes and stories and let us play games in class. He also had this awesome amount of armor and weapons, so he was the only teacher who's classes didn't put Percy to sleep.

I really, really hoped we wouldn't mess something up on this trip. You see, Percy and I are kinda accident prone, and I really didn't want to be in detention for once.  
I was so wrong, it's not even funny.

See, Percy and I always have horrible things happen to us on field trips. There was one time where we went to the Saratoga battlefield and had this incident with a cannon. I swear I wasn't aiming for the bus, but we were still expelled. And the year before, when we got a backstage tour of a shark pool, Percy hit a lever on the catwalk and we all went swimming. That's how we ended up going through a school a year, even though none of them were our fault.

This trip though, I would kill Percy if anything went wrong.

All the way to the museum, we put up with Nancy Bobofit, this freckly, redheaded kleptomaniac girl who I despised from the moment we met, hitting my friend Grover with hunks of peanut-butter-and-ketchup sandwich. Grover was the only guy I could stand, besides Percy. I believe males are lying, cheating scumbags and I absolutely hate them, which isn't surprising considering what that person who calls himself my stepfather has done to me.

Grover was an easy target. He was scrawny and cried when he got frustrated. He must have been held back because he was the only sixth-grader with acne and a small start of a beard. Not to mention the fact that he was crippled. He never had to do PE because of some sort of disease in his legs. It made him walk weirdly, but he could run quickly when he wanted to.

Anyway, Nancy was throwing pieces of sandwich that kept getting stuck in his hair, and she knew Percy and I couldn't do anything because we were on probation. The headmaster had threatened us with in-school suspension if anything interesting happened on this trip.

"I'm going to kill her" I muttered.

"Yeah" Percy agreed.

Grover tried to calm us down. "It's fine, I like peanut-butter."

"Not on your head" I said, but listened to Grover.

Another piece flew past.

"That's it." Percy started to get up, but Grover pushed him back down.

"You're on probation," he said, "You'll be blamed and will drag Tala with you."

Looking back, I wish he'd hurt Nancy then. In-school suspension would've been nothing compared to what was going to happen to us.

Mr. Brunner led the tour.

He rode up front in his wheelchair, guiding us through big empty galleries, past marble statues and glass cases full of really old pottery.

It was amazing how all this had survived for thousands of years.

He gathered us around a tall stone column with a sphinx on the top, and started telling us how it was a _stele_ for a girl about our age. He told us about what the carvings on the sides meant and why they were important. I was listening to him talk, and I was feeling connected to the girl somehow, while Percy stood at the back of the group, telling people to shut up and getting glared at by Mrs. Dodds, the other chaperone.

Mrs. Dodds was this short math teacher from Georgia who always wore a tiny leather jacket, even though she was like, fifty years old. She looked mean enough to ride a motorcycle into your locker. She had only been teaching for a few months, since our other math teacher had a nervous breakdown.

From her first day, Mrs. Dodds had loved Nancy and me, but hated Percy. She kept giving him detention for a month while smiling at me.

Percy kept complaining to Grover and me after detention that he thought Mrs. Dodds wasn't human, and every time Grover would get all serious and say, "You're absolutely right." I would just scoff and tell Percy he's imagining things again.

I just ignored them and kept listening to Mr. Brunner, until Percy yelled, "Will you shut up?"

Everyone laughed at him, and Mr. Brunner stopped talking.

"Mr. Jackson," he said, "did you have a comment?"

Percy blushed like mad and said, "No, sir."

Mr. Brunner pointed at a carving, "Perhaps you'll tell us what this picture represents?"

Thankfully, Percy knew what it was. "That's Kronos eating his kids, right?"

"Yes," Mr. Brunner wasn't done asking questions yet though. "Atlante, Why did he eat his kids?"

I jumped because I wasn't expecting him to ask me that. "Kronos ate his kids because he was the king titan and he was afraid his kids would overthrow him."

From the back of the group, Nancy mumbled to a friend, "Like we're ever going to use this. Like it's going to say on a job application, 'Please explain why Kronos ate his kids.'"

"And why Mr. Jackson," Mr. Brunner said, "To paraphrase Miss Bobofit's excellent question. Does this matter in real life?"

Nancy blushed, I snickered at her.

"I don't know, sir," Percy said, shrugging.

"I see." MR. Brunner turned to me. "Do you know, Atlante?"

"No sir, I don't"

"Very well." Mr. Brunner looked disappointed. "I believe it's time for lunch, Mrs. Dodds, if you will lead us outside?"

The class drifted off, the girls looking slightly nauseas, and the guys acting like the idiots they are.

Grover, Percy, and I were about to head off too when Mr. Brunner said, "Mr. and Miss Jackson."

We told Grover to go on without us. Then we turned to Mr. Brunner. "Sir?"

"You must learn the answer to my question, you two." He told us.

"About the titans?" I asked.

"About real life. And how your studies apply to it."

"Oh." Nice answer Percy, smooth.

"What you learn from me is vitally important. I expect you to treat it as such. I will only accept the best from you, Percy and Atlante Jackson." He said.

It was kinda annoying, how hard he pushed us. He expected us to be as good as everyone else, even though we had dyslexia and ADHD, not to mention that we had never gotten above a C- in our lives. No- he expected us to be better.

We said something about trying harder, while Mr. Brunner looked sadly at the stele, like he'd been at the funeral.

He told us to go outside and eat our lunches, but I stayed behind.

"Mr. Brunner," I hesitantly asked, "Do you feel, a connection to the girl in the stele, like is it normal, to feel like you know her and can see her, just because you looked at the stele?"

He studied me for a while, until I started to fidget. "I'm sure it's just an after-effect of looking at it for so long. Now go and eat your lunch."

Outside, it was really stormy. I figured it was because of global warming or something, because the weather had been really weird since Christmas. There had been massive snow storms, wildfires, and flooding. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a hurricane.

I looked for Percy and Grover. I found them easily, but Nancy was standing in front of them, with her lunch in Grover's lap. Then, suddenly, right after I had walked over to them, she was in the fountain, yelling, "Percy and Atlante pushed me!"

Mrs. Dodds appeared next to us.

All the other kids were whispering: "Did you see-" "-the water-" "-like it grabbed her-"

I didn't know what they were talking about. I just knew Percy and I were in trouble again.

As soon as Mrs. Dodds had made sure poor little Nancy was alright, promising to get a new t-shirt, etc., she rounded on us. "Now honeys, come with me."

Nancy smirked, we both glared at her. Then we turned to look at Mrs. Dodds, but she wasn't there. She was at the museum entrance, waiting for us.

How'd she move so quickly?

Ignoring that for now, I went after her with Percy following me.

Halfway up, I looked at Grover. He kept looking between us and Mr. Brunner, like he wanted Mr. Brunner to realize what was happening, but Mr. Brunner was too into whatever he was reading to notice.

Looking back up, I realized Mrs. Dodds was now inside the building.

Ok, I thought, she's going to make us buy Nancy a new shirt.

But that wasn't the plan.

We followed her deeper into the museum until we were back in the Greek and Roman section, in front of the stele.

We were the only people in the section.

I was nervous. Percy and I were alone with Mrs. Dodds, and she was making this weird growling noise in her throat.

"You've been giving us problems, Perseus," she said.

He said, "Yes, Ma'am," which probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.

She tugged on the cuffs of her jacket. "Did you think you would get away with it? And you, Atlante, did you think you could hide forever?"

I was confused. "Get away with what, Ma'am?"

At the same time Percy said, "I'll try harder, Ma'am."

Thunder shook the building.

"We are not fools, Percy Jackson." Mrs. Dodds said, "It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess, and you will suffer less pain. Atlante Jackson, come with me. You belong back with your parents, not with these foolish mortals."

I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Well?" she demanded.

"Ma'am, I don't . . ." Percy and I said at the same time.

"Your time is up, Perseus," she hissed.

Then the weirdest thing happened. Her eyes began to glow. Her fingers turned into talons. Her jacket melted into wings. She wasn't human. She was a shriveled hag with bat wings and claws and fangs, and she was about to kill Percy. But somehow she seemed familiar to me.

Then things got even weirder.

Mr. Brunner wheeled to the doorway of the gallery, holding a pen. He tossed the pen to Percy, and as he caught it, it turned into a bronze sword. Mrs. Dodds lunged to kill Percy, and he hit her with the sword, turning her into dust.

Percy and I were alone in the gallery.

He waas holding a pen.

Mr. Brunner wasn't there. We were the only ones there.

We were trembling.

"Did you see that?" he asked me.

"Yeah, was it like a joint hallucination?"

"I don't know."

We went outside.

It was raining.

Grover was sitting by the fountain, a magazine over his head. Nancy Bobofit was still standig there, grumbling to her ugly friends. When she was us, she said, "I hope Mrs. Kerr whiped your butts.

We said, "Who?"

"Our teacher, duh!"

I blinked. We had no teacher named Mrs. Kerr. I asked Nancy who she was talking about while Percy asked Grover. She just rolled he eyes and turned away.

Nothing else extraordinary happened until summer vacation. We were kicked out for fighting as usual, failed our exams, and left Yancy Academy.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: This is the last or second to last mainly canon chapter. After this it should get more interesting. Please, please, please review, this is only my first fic and I'd really like to know what other people think about it.**

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is Rick Riordan's, no profit is being made from this, I'm just doing it for fun. **

Percy and I were leaving Yancy, thank god we didn't have to go back, on the same bus as Grover on the last day of school. He was the only one I didn't want to have to say good-bye to, so I was glad it was being put off for a while longer.

During the whole bus ride, Grover kept glancing nervously down the aisle, watching the other passengers. I found this odd, and realized that he always acted that way when we left Yancy, it was like he expected something bad to happen. I'd always assumed he was nervous he would be teased, but there was no one to tease him on the bus.

After a while of that, Percy seemed not to be able to stand it anymore.

He said, "Looking for Kindly Ones?"

Grover jumped out of his seat in shock. "Wha- what do you mean?"

"I'd like to know that myself thanks." I was really confused.

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you, sorry Tala." Percy told us that he had been eavesdropping on Grover and Mr. Brunner last night.

Grover's eye twitched. "How much did you hear?"

"Oh, not much." It was obvious Percy was lying. "What's the summer solstice deadline and who's lost?"

Grover winced. "Look, Percy, Tala. . . I was just worried for you, see? I mean, a joint hallucination about a demon math teacher. . ."

"Grover-"

"And I was telling Mr. Brunner that maybe the two of you were overstressed or something, because there was no such person as Mrs. Dodds, and. . ."

"Grover, you're a really, really bad liar."

His ears turned pink.

From his shirt pocket, he fished out two grubby business cards and handed one to me and the other to Percy. "Just take this, okay? In case either of you need me this summer."

The card was in fancy script, which was murder to my dyslexic eyes, but I finally read something like:

_Grover Underwood_

_Keeper_

_Half-Blood Hill_

_Long Island, New York_

_(800) 009-0009_

"What's Half-" Percy and I started to say.

"Don't say it aloud!" Grover yelped. "That's my, umm. . . summer address."

My heart sank. Grover had a summer home. He was just like all other boys, spoiled and selfish. Then I realized what I was thinking, I knew Grover, I knew he wasn't like the rest.

"Okay," Percy said sadly. "So, like, if I want to come visit your mansion."

Grover nodded. "Or. . . if you need me."

"Why would we need you?" Woops, nice going Tala, you just insulted one of your only friends.

Grover blushed like mad. "Look, Percy, Tala, the truth is, I-I kinda have to protect you."

We both stared at him.

All year long, we'd gotten into fights, keeping bullies away from him. I'd even lost sleep worrying that he'd be hurt next year without us. And he was acting like he had been protecting us?

"Grover, what exactly are you protecting us from?" I asked.

Before he could answer, there was this great grinding noise underneath our feet. Black smoke poured out from the dashboard and the whole bus started to smell like rotten eggs. The driver cursed and maneuvered the bus over to the side of the road.

After a few minutes of messing around with the engine, the driver announced we'd have to get off. Grover, Percy, and I filed off along with everyone else.

We were on a pretty, but plain stretch of country road- a place you'd never notice if you didn't break down there. On our side of the road there were only sad looking maple trees and litter from cars. On the other side, however, there was this old-fashioned fruit stand.

The stuff they were selling looked really good: heaping boxes of cherries and apples, walnuts and apricots, jugs of cider. There were no customers, only three old ladies in rocking chairs, who were knitting the biggest pair of socks I had ever seen.

These socks were as big as sweaters, but they couldn't be mistaken for anything but socks. The lady on the right knitted one, the lady on he left knitted the other, and the lady in the middle held a huge basket of yarn.

All three ladies looked ancient, with wrinkled faces, silver hair, and bony arms.

The weirdest thing was, they seemed to be looking right at Percy.

I looked at Grover only to find him white as a sheet. "They're not looking at you, are they Percy? Please tell me they're not." He was practically begging.

The old lady in the middle took out a huge pair of shears. I heard Grover catch his breath.

"We're getting on the bus," he told us. "Right now."

"What?" I said.

"But it has to be about a thousand degrees in there," Percy said.

Across the road, the old ladies cut the yarn.

The bus came back to life, and we were off to home.

A word about Percy's mother, my adopted mother, before you meet her.

Her name is Sally Jackson, and she's the best person in the world. Unfortunately, she has the worst luck out of anyone I know. Her parents died in a plane crash when she was little, and she was raised by and uncle who hated her. She wanted to write books, so she spent high school saving money for college. Then her uncle got cancer, and she had to quit school to take care of him. After he died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma.

The only good thing that ever happened to her was meeting Percy's dad. Unfortunately, to make long story short, they couldn't get married, and he left at sea, never to return.

Mom worked odd jobs and took night classes to get her diploma. She raised us on her own, never complaining or getting mad, even though we weren't the easiest kids.

Finally, she married Gabe Ugliano, who was nice for the first thirty seconds we knew him, the showed his colors as a world-class jerk. When Percy and I were younger, we nicknamed him Smelly Gabe. It's true, he smells like rotten pizza mixed with rotten eggs and sweat. He's also the reason I hate guys so much.

Between the three of us, we made mom's life pretty hard. The way Gabe treated her, the way he and Percy got along, and the way he treated me... well, when we got home is a good example.

Percy and I walked into our little apartment, hoping mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. The television blared sports, chips and beer cans were strewn all over the floor.

Hardly looking up from his cigar, he said to Percy, "Well, you're home."

"Where's mom?"

"Working," he said, "You got any cash?"

"No, I don't," Percy told him.

"You took a taxi from the bus station," Gabe replied. "Probably paid with a twenty. Got six, seven bucks in change. Somebody expects to live under this roof, he ought to carry his own weight. Am I right Eddie?"

Eddie was the only one who was nice to us. You see, Gabe only made Percy give him cash. Me, he made pay in other ways, and Eddie always refused to join in. "Come on, Gabe," he said. "The kids just got here."

"Am I right?" Gabe repeated.

"Fine," Percy said, throwing the money onto the table. "Come on Tala, let's go."

"No boy, your sister still has to pay." Gabe wouldn't let me just go to my room, he always had to make me sit with them and put up with them being right up against me and touching me.

Then I heard mom's voice. "Tala, let's go into your room and talk with Percy."

"Okay, mom."

Thank goodness! Mom got home before I had to be in there for long.

We went into Percy and my room, and I kinda phased out until I heard mom telling me to pack for the beach. All three of us love the beach, we always went to this one cabin on Montauk, the place where mom and Percy's dad met. We hadn't gone for years because of Gabe, but mom managed to manipulate him into letting us go.

Later that night, in the cabin, Percy asked about his dad. He always asked when went went to the cabin, and most of the time mom didn't say much because it was too painful. But this time she said something new.

Percy asked if we were going to be sent to another boarding school, and she replied, "I don't know honey, I just want you to be safe. I've tried to keep you both as close to me as I could, even though I was told it was a mistake. But there's only one other option- the place your father wanted me to send the two of you. And I just. . . I can't stand to do it."

I entered to conversation. "Dad wanted us to go to a special school?"

"Not a school," she told me. "A summer camp."

"I'm sorry guys," she said seeing how betrayed we looked. "I just can't talk about it. If you go, it might mean saying good-bye forever."

"For good? But if it's only a summer camp. . ." Percy trailed off seeing how sad mom was.

I thought about it until I fell asleep, wondering what it would be like.

I woke up with a start.

Outside, it was a hurricane. It was crazy, Long Island never got hurricanes so early in the year. But the ocean seemed to have forgotten that. Over the roar of the wind, I heard this distant bellow, a tortured sound that made my hair stand on end.

Then a much closer sound, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice- someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door.

Mom sprang out of bed, and opened the door.

Grover stood in the doorway. But he. . . he looked weird.

"Searching all night," he gasped. "What were you thinking?"

Mom looked at Percy and I in terror- not scared of Grover, but why he'd come.

"Percy, Tala," she shouted. "What happened at school?"

I told her about Mrs. Dodds while Percy stammered something about the ladies at the fruit stand. Mom stared at us, her face deathly pale.

She grabbed her purse, threw our jackets at us, and said, "Get to the car now. All three of you. GO!"

Grover ran to the car, and I understood why he walked so weirdly. Because where his feet were supposed to be, he had hooves.

We barreled along country roads, wind tore at the car. I didn't know how mom could keep driving but she did.

Every time there was lightning I looked at Grover, and after I while I realized he wasn't wearing weird pants, his legs were that of a goat's.

"You're a satyr!" I shouted. "But how is that possible?"

"I'll tell you when we get to camp," was all Grover would say.

"So, wait, let me get this straight. We're going to that summer camp you didn't want us to go to, and we're being chased by something?" I asked mom.

"Basically," she said, while Percy was frozen in shock. "We're almost there."

Outside, the rain lashed trees, and lightning tore through the sky. Then all of a sudden, there was this blinding flash of light, a lot of pain, and everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you _Sniddunc, destinyflareon, _and_ hellraiserphoenix _for being the first three to review! You really gave me inspiration to write this chapter. This chapter may be kind of boring, but it's necessary. **

I had weird dream about satyrs, monsters, and mom. The satyrs wanted to kill me, the monsters wanted food, and mom kept mooing.

I must've woken up a few times, but what I heard and saw made no sense, so I just passed out again. I remember lying on a soft bed, being spoon-fed something that tasted like cheddar popcorn, only it was pudding. A boy with blond hair hovered over me, smiling as he scraped drips off my chin with the spoon.

When he saw my eyes open, he asked, "Who's 'the lost one'?"

I managed to whisper, "What?"

He looked around, like he was afraid someone would overhear him. "What's happening?" Who was lost? There's not much time left."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I don't. . ."

Someone knocked on the door, and he hastily filled my mouth with pudding.

The next time I woke up, the boy was gone.

A blond girl, who had princess-like hair, stood in the corner of the room watching over me. She was playing with a cap in her hands, almost like it was a stress reliever.

When I finally woke up all the way, there was nothing unusual about my surroundings, except that they were a lot nicer than I was used to. I was sitting in a deck chair on a huge porch, looking out across a meadow at green hills in the distance. It smelled like strawberries. Percy was next to me, looking around. There was a blanket over my legs, a pillow behind my head. All that was awesome, but my mouth felt like a scorpion had made a nest in it. My tongue was dry and disgusting and all my teeth hurt.

On the table next to me there was a tall drink. It looked like apple juice, with a green straw and a paper parasol stuck through a maraschino cherry.

My hand was so weak I almost dropped the glass once I got my hand around it.

"Careful, both of you," a familiar voice said.

Grover was leaning against the porch railing, looking like he hadn't slept in a week. Under one arm, he cradled a shoe box. He was wearing normal jeans. Converse shoes, and a bright orange shirt that said **CAMP HALF-BLOOD**. Just plain old Grover. Not the satyr.

Maybe it was a nightmare? For some reason I doubted that.

"Percy, you saved my life, not to mention Tala's," Grover said. "So I went back to the hill, I thought you might want this."

He reverently put the shoe box on Percy's lap.

Inside was a black-and-white bull's horn, the base jagged from being broken off, the tip splattered with blood.

"The Minotaur," Percy said.

"Okay guys, what on earth happened for you to end up with the Minotaur's horn?" I said, slightly annoyed- who am I joking? I was so freaking annoyed.

"Guys, you shouldn't say the name." Grover shifted uncomfortably. "You've both been out for two days. How much do you remember?"

"My mom, is she really. . ." Percy trailed off.

"What happened to mom?" I was clueless.

They told me.

I just couldn't accept it. Mom was dead. It was like all happiness had disappeared. The sun had no right to keep shining, the birds shouldn't be allowed to sing. It should be as black as night, nothing should be beautiful.

"I'm sorry," Grover sniffled. I'm a failure. I'm the worst satyr in the world."

Percy and I were orphans. We only had each other, that was it. No home, no one I would call family, no belongings. We would never go to Smelly Gabe, we would figure something out.

Grover was still sniffling. He looked like he expected to be hit, and I'd never do that to him, no matter how bad the rest of his gender is.

Percy said, "It wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was. I was supposed to protect you two."

"Did mom ask you to protect us?"

"No. But that's my job. I'm a keeper. Or, . . . I was."

"But, why?"

I almost passed out as he said that. My vision was getting fuzzier and fuzzier.

"Here, don't strain yourself, Tala," Grover said. "Here."

He helped me hold my glass, and put the straw to my lips.

I recoiled at the taste, because I was expecting apple juice. It wasn't anything at all like that. It tasted like chocolate fudge. Liquid fudge. Not just any fudge- my mom's homemade extra-chocolate fudge. Drinking it, my whole body felt warm and good, full of energy.

Before I knew it, I'd drained my glass. I stared at it, wishing there was more. I, somehow, just knew I could live off that alone.

"You feel better?" Grover asked.

"Like I could throw Nancy Bobofit a hundred yards."

"That's good," he said. "I don't think you could drink much more of that stuff."

"What do you mean? I could drink it all day and be fine."

He stared at me and didn't answer. "Come on, you two, Chiron and Mr. D are waiting."

The porch wrapped all the way around the farmhouse.

Percy was walking unsteadily, like the horn was weighing him down, but he wouldn't let go of it. I wasn't the steadiest either, but at least I could walk without having to touch the railing every two steps.

As we came to the other side of the farmhouse, I caught my breath.

We must've been on the north shore of Long Island, because on this side of the house, the valley marched all the way to the water, which glittered about a mile away. Between here and there, I couldn't process everything I saw. The landscape was dotted with buildings that were built in an ancient Greek style. In a nearby sandpit, kids were playing volleyball with satyrs. Canoes glided on a lake. Kids in shirts like Grover's were chasing each other around cabins set back in the woods. The woods were a vast affair, beautiful greens and browns, that must be teeming with life. Some kids shot targets in an archery range, others rode horses on a wooded trail, and, unless I was much mistaken, some of the had wings.

Down near the end of the porch, two men were sitting at a card table. The blond guy, and the girl, was leaning on the railing next to them.

The man facing us was small, but fat. He had a red nose, watery eyes, and hair so black it was purple. He looked like a cherub who'd turned middle-aged in a trailer park. He wore a tiger-patterned Hawaiian shirt, and he would've fit right in a one of Gabe's poker parties.

"That's Mr. D," Grover murmured to us. "He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase, and the guy is Luke Castellan. They're just campers, but they've been here longer than anyone else. And you guys already know Chiron. . . "

He pointed at the guy whose back was to us.

"Mr. Brunner!" Honestly Percy, Grover just told us that his name is really Chiron.

The 'Latin teacher' turned and smiled at us. His eyes had that mischievous glint they sometimes got in class when he pulled a pop quiz and made all the multiple choice answers _B._

"Ah, good, Percy, Atlante," he said. "Now we have four for pinochle."

He offered Percy and I the two chairs left at the table, on either side of Mr. D, who looked at us with blood-shot eyes and sighed loudly. "Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now, don't expect me to be glad to see you."

"Uh, thanks." I scooted farther away from him, because if there was one thing I learned from Gabe, it was how to tell when someone had been hitting the happy juice. If Mr. D was a stranger to alcohol, I was a Nereid.

"Annabeth, Luke?" Chiron called to the blonds.

They came forward and Chiron introduced us. "Luke and Annabeth nursed the two of you back to health. Annabeth, why don't you go make sure we can get them bunks? They'll be staying in cabin eleven for now. Luke, I know it's your cabin, but you have to stay here for little while longer."

They said, "Sure, Chiron," and Annabeth ran off.

"So, you, uh, work here Mr. Brunner?" Percy, the idiot, asked.

"Not Mr. Brunner," Chiron said. "I'm afraid that was a pseudonym. You may call me Chiron. I must say, it's nice to see you alive, Atlante, Percy. It's been a long time since I've made a house call to a potential camper, much less two. I would hate to see all that work wasted."

"House call?" I was confused.

"My year at Yancy Academy, to instruct you. We have satyrs at each school, of course, to keep a lookout. But Grover alerted me as soon as he met the two of you. He sensed that there was something. . . special about you, so I decided to come upstate. I convinced the other Latin teacher to. . . ah, take a leave of absence."

"You came to Yancy just to teach us?" I asked, wondering if we were really that important.

Chiron nodded. "Honestly, I wasn't sure if it was worth it until I met you. We contacted your mother, to alert her you were ready for Camp Half-Blood, but she persuaded me to let you finish the school year first. Nevertheless, you made it here relatively safely, and that's what's important."

"Atlante," Mr. D said impatiently, "are you going to play?"

"Umm, I don't know how to, sir."

"Hump, well, never mind then."

"Please,," Percy said, "what is this place? What are we doing here? Chiron, why would you go to Yancy just to teach us?"

Mr. D snorted. "I asked the same question."

Chiron smiled at us sympathetically.

"Percy," he said. "You know your friend Grover is a satyr. You know that you killed the Minotaur. No small feat either, lad. What you may not know is that great powers are at work in your life. Gods- whom you call Greek gods- are very much alive."

`"I knew it!" I shouted- woops.

"How did you figure it out, Atlante?" Chiron asked me.

"It made sense, I saw Grover, and everything else became obvious. But why are we here? We're not anything special."

"That's what I was going to get to next. What did the gods mainly do in the 'myths' of Greece?"

"They went around and had kids with mortals," Percy, surprisingly, answered.

"Exactly. You and Atlante are demigods, the children of gods."

"You're Dionysus, aren't you?" I asked Mr. D, interrupting Chiron.

"Who did you think I was, Ares?" Mr. D rolled his eyes and left.

"Who's our godly parent then?" Percy asked Chiron.

"We won't know until they claim you, child. Now come, Luke will show you both the camp."


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Sorry it took me so long to update, my computer decided to break. This chapter is when Tala gets claimed. ****Thanks to the people who reviewed last chapter, I hope you likr this one.**

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belong to Rick Riordan, I'm just doint this for fun.**

Luke led Percy and me around camp, showing us the strawberry fields, the archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables, the armory, the javelin range, the sing-along ampitheather, the arenas for sword and spear fights, and the mess hall.

As we were walking, I asked, "Is Chiron _the _Chiron, trainer of Heracles and all that?"

"Yeah, he just normally stays in his wheelchair for meeting new kids." Luke shrugged. "He doesn't shock people by seeing a centaur that way. Look, there are the cabins."

There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods next to the lake. They were arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side. And they had to be the weirdest collection of cabins ever.

Except for the fact that they each had a large brass number above the door, they looked nothing alike. Number nine was like a mini factory, with smokestacks and everything. Four had vines growing up the walls and a grass roof. Seven was made out of real gold, so it gleamed so brightly in the sun it hurt to look at. They all faced a common area the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, and some basketball hoops.

In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined fire pit. Even though it was a warm day, a fire smoldered in the hearth. A young girl was tending the flames.

I stopped and asked, "Who are you?"

"The flames," she answered.

I was surprised. "Lady Hestia?"

"Yes. You are the first demigod to stop by my hearth to talk to me. Most just ignore me. What is your name?"

"Atlante Jackson, Lady Hestia."

"Thank you for stopping, Atlante. You might wish to go to your friends, they seem to have gone on without you "

"It was nice to meet you, Lady Hestia." I went and rejoined Percy and Luke.

The pair of cabins at the head of the field, cabins one and two, looked like big mausoleums, white boxes with heavy columns in front. Cabin one was the biggest of the twelve, with bronze doors that appeared to be covered in lightning. Cabin two was more graceful, with slimmer columns and carved peacocks.

"Zeus and Hera?" Percy guessed, pointing at the pair.

"Yes," Luke said.

"Their cabins look empty."

"Several are, no one ever stays in one or two."

Okay, so there's a cabin per god. But why would some be empty?

I stopped in front of cabin eight.

It wasn't fancy like the others, but I had a feeling it was more than it seemed. I peeked inside and Luke said, "Oh, I wouldn't do that."

Before he pulled me out, I caught a whiff of forest air coming from inside the cabin, like a breeze going through the trees. On the inside the walls shone like the moon. There were six empty bunk beds with the silk sheets turned down. But there was no sign anyone had ever slept there. The place felt so empty I was glad when Luke pulled me away to Percy.

Most of the other cabins were full.

Number five was horrible; it was bright red and looked like the paint had been splashed on by buckets and fists. The roof was lined in barbed wire. A stuffed boar's head was above the door glaring at me. Inside, a bunch of mean-looking kids were arguing and arm-wrestling. One of them, a girl with stringy brown hair, glared at Percy and me for looking in.

We arrived at cabin eleven, Luke's cabin, and it was crowded. People were sleeping on every bare patch of floor. It looked like a gym where Red Cross had set up an evacuation center.

Luke and I stayed there while Annabeth (blond girl) dragged Percy off because he made a fool of himself, as normal.

"What did you do?!" really, I can't leave him alone for 15 minutes. We were standing outside the Hermes cabin and Percy started to tell me why Annabeth was wet. After Annabeth dragged him off, he blew up a bathroom to stop a bully (that girl from Ares cabin, her name's Clarisse) and made Annabeth wet and mad.

Before I could yell at him more, a horn rang out.

Luke yelled, "Eleven, fall in!"

The whole cabin, about twenty of us, filed into the commons yard. We lined up in order of seniority, so of course Percy and I were last. Campers came from all the other cabins too, except for the three at the end and cabin eight, which had started to glow as the sun went down.

All of the campers, about one hundred of us, went into the mess hall.

Each cabin had its own table, covered in white cloth trimmed in purple. Four of the tables were empty, but eleven's was way over crowded. Percy was squeezed onto the end of a bench with half his butt hanging off.

It seemed like it took forever for everyone to come in, the food smelled so good.

Finally, Chiron pounded his hoof against the marble floor, and everyone shut up. He raised a glass. "To the gods!"

Everyone else did the same. "To the gods!" Wood nymphs came forward and gave everyone food, then we burnt offerings to the gods.

As we were finishing our food, Mr. D stood up, sighing. "Yes, I suppose I'd better say hello to all you brats. Well, hello. Our activities director, Chiron, says the next game of capture the flag is Friday. Cabin five presently holds the laurels."

A bunch of ugly cheers rose from the Ares table.

"Personally," Mr. D said, "I couldn't care less. Also, I should tell you that we have two new campers today, Peter and Alice Johnson."

Chiron murmured something.

"Err, Percy and Atlante Jackson," Mr. D corrected. "Now run along to your silly campfire."

Everyone cheered and we went to a campfire, then bed.

The next few days Percy and I settled into a routine that felt normal, well, as normal as you can get with satyrs, nymphs, and a centaur teaching you.

Each morning we took Ancient Greek from Annabeth, and we talked about the gods and goddesses in present tense, which was weird. I discovered that Ancient Greek was easier to read than English with dyslexia.

The rest of the day, we'd rotate through outdoor activities, looking for things we were good at. For that, Percy and I were pretty much opposites. Chiron taught me archery, which we quickly realized I was a natural at, and Percy was so bad he got an arrow in Chiron's tail with Chiron behind him.

Foot racing? I could keep up with the nymphs while Percy was left in the dust.

Wrestling? We both sucked at it. Every time one of us got on the mat, Clarisse would pulverize them.

The one of only things Percy was really good at was canoeing. I, on the other hand, got seasickness by getting in a canoe.

We were both good with a sword, but I preferred to use two knives or a bow.

I knew the senior campers and counselors were watching us, trying to decide who our dad was, but we weren't giving them an easy time. Percy and I were polar opposites. We weren't as strong as the Ares kids, and only I was as good at archery as the Apollo kids. We didn't have Hephaestus's skill with metalwork or- gods forbid- Dionysus's way with plants. Luke told us we might be children of Hermes, a kind of jack-of-all-trades, master of none. But he was just trying to make us feel better. He really didn't know who we were either.

Despite all that, Percy and I loved camp. It was the first place I felt really at home, even if I had to be near boys all the time. I got used to the fog over the beach in the morning, the smell of hot strawberries in the afternoon, even the sound of monsters in the woods at night. I would eat dinner with cabin eleven, scrape part of my meal into the fire, and try to feel some connection to my real dad. Nothing ever came. But I refused to give up on him.

One night after dinner, there was a lot more excitement than usual.

It was time for capture the flag.

When the plates were cleared away, a horn sounded and we all stood up.

Campers cheered and yelled as Annabeth and two of her siblings ran into the pavilion carrying a silk banner. It was about ten feet long, glistening gray, with a painting of an owl on an olive tree on it. From the opposite side of the pavilion, Clarisse and her friends ran in with another banner, of identical size, but gaudy red with a bloody spear and a boar's head.

I turned to Luke and yelled, "Those are the flags?"

"Yeah."

"Ares and Athena always lead the teams?"

"Not always," he said. "But most of the time."

"So, if one cabin captures one, what do you do- repaint the flag?"

He grinned. "You'll see. First we have to get one."

"Whose side are we on?"

He gave me a sly look, like he knew something I didn't. The scar on his face made him look almost evil in the firelight. "We've made a temporary alliance with Athena. Tonight, we get the flag from Ares. And you and Percy will help."

The teams were announced and the tables became covered in equipment. Luke handed me double knives, a bow, armor, and a helmet with a blue plume on top.

Annabeth yelled, "Blue team, forward!"

We cheered and followed her down the path to the south side of the woods. Percy ran forward to talk to her, then she stationed us next to a creek at the edge of our border.

Far away, a horn blew and the game began. A blue plumed ally from Apollo ran past Percy as I got myself situated in a tree so I could snipe people.

Then Clarisse and a bunch of ugly goons surrounded Percy. They went to attack him and I jumped out of the tree, pulling out my knives on the way. I landed in a crouch facing the opposite way as Percy, ready to fight. They paused but continued forward anyway. One cut Percy on his arm and pushed him into the creek. I spun around and broke Clarisse's spear before she could skewer me.

"Ugh!" she screamed. "You idiot! You corpse-breath worm!"

She probably would of said more, but Percy hit her on the head with his sword.

Then Luke ran across the creek, holding the banner. It turned silver and a caduceus replaced the boar and spear.

We had won.

The air shimmered and Annabeth appeared. "Nice job, guys. I was about to jump in but, you didn't need it."

Then I looked at Percy's arm. "What happened to your cut?"

He was confused, like he didn't realized it had healed. "What do you mean?"

Annabeth cursed in Ancient Greek. "Oh no, this isn't good. I thought it would be Zeus."

A growl sounded right behind me. The campers stopped cheering instantly.

I turned and saw a black hound the size of a rhino, staring at Percy and me like it couldn't decide who to attack first.

It jumped at Percy and shredded his chest with its claws, but somehow he was fine. From the monster's neck sprouted a bunch of arrows. Chiron trotted up to us, his face looking grim.

"A hellhound from the fields of punishment," he said. "Someone summoned it."

Annabeth seemed to realized Percy was injured and told him to get into the water.

Everyone gathered around us, Percy's chest healed and people gasped.

But they weren't watching his wounds. They were pointing above our heads.

By the time I looked up, the sign was fading, but I could still make out a black and silver hologram spinning above me. A silver bow and a bronze helm on a backdrop of night.

"But, this doesn't make sense," Annabeth started to freak out. "They're twins!"

"It is determined," Chiron announced.

All around us, campers started kneeling, even the Ares cabin.

"My father?" Percy and I asked as one.

"All hail Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God," Chiron said. "And Atlante Jackson, daughter of Hades, Lord of the Underworld, and Artemis, Lady of Maidens and the Hunt."


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hey, guys! Thank you **_**Artemis-Jackson**_**, **_**Ill elementaI**_**,**_** Legacy Grace**_**,**_** RAD092515**_**,**_** Roxie Raven Jackson**_**,**_** alyssa daughter of apollo**_**,**_** destinyflareon**_**, **_**hellraiserphoenix**_**, **_**kittychick441**_**, and**_** xxXTheBelieverXxx**_** for favoriting this story! It made my day to see it has 10 favorites.****Thanks to everyone who reviewed, it's really nice to hear your opinions. I've been trying to figure out who I should pair Tala with, but I can't decide. If you would leave a review or PM me with your opinion, I would be so grateful.**

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Rick Riordan, I'm just doing this for fun.**

I was moved to the big house immediately. I should have been put in Artemis's cabin (it's weird to think of her as my mother), but I was told that Chiron was afraid of offending a new goddess. Really it was just so Mr. D could keep an eye on me. A previously unknown goddess was a liability, especially if I didn't trust the gods yet. I was given the room next Mr. D's, so his job would be easier.

I was absolutely miserable.

The only person who had any idea how I felt was Percy, and even he was somewhat afraid of me.

Just when I'd started to feel accepted, to feel at home, and to believe I was a demigod, I was separated out like I had a contagious disease. All because I had two godly parents.

The rare times I left the big house, I got the feeling everyone was staring at me and talking about the hellhound. The attack had scared everyone. It sent four messages: one, that I was a goddess; two, that I was extremely powerful; three, that Percy was a forbidden child of the big three; and four, that monsters would stop at nothing to get us, even if it meant invading a camp that had always been safe.

The other campers steered clear of me. Even Percy stayed away. I was basically put under house arrest until Zeus had decided what to do with me. I wasn't allowed to train until it was decided if I was a threat. It seemed like all that I was allowed to do was sit in the big house and learn Ancient Greek.

I knew someone at camp hated me, because one day I went up to my room and found a mortal newspaper sitting on my bed. It was a copy of _The New York Daily News_, opened to the Metro page. The article took me almost an hour to read because the angrier I got, the more the words floated off the page. Stupid dyslexia.

**Boy, Girl, and Mother Still Missing After**

**Freak Car Accident**

**By Eileen Smith**

**Sally Jackson, daughter Atlante, and son Percy are still missing one week after their mysterious disappearance. The family's badly burned '78 Camaro was discovered last Saturday on a North Long Island road with the roof ripped off and the front axle broken. The car had flipped and skidded several hundred feet before exploding.**

**Mother, son, and daughter had gone for a weekend visit to Montauk, but left hastily, under mysterious circumstances. Small traces of blood were found in the car and near the wreck, but there were no other signs of the missing Jacksons. Residents in the area reported seeing nothing strange near the time of the accident.**

**Ms. Jackson's husband, Gabe Ugliano, claims that his stepson, Percy Jackson, is a troubled child who had been kicked out of numerous boarding schools and dragged his sister with him, because he expressed violent tendencies.**

**Police would not say if Percy Jackson is a suspect in his mother's disappearance, but they have not ruled out foul play. Below are recent pictures of Sally Jackson, Atlante, and Percy. Police urge anyone with information to call the toll-free crime-stopping number below.**

The number was circled in black ink. I crumpled up the newspaper and threw it away, then plopped down on my bed in the big house.

"Lights out," I told myself miserably.

I woke up to a knock on the door.

"Come in?"

Grover trotted in. "Mr. D wants to see you downstairs."

"Why?"

"I'd better let him tell you. I need to go get Percy, so go down."

Nervously, I got dressed and went down.

I'd been expecting this for days. Now that I had been declared a child of Artemis, a maiden goddess, and Hades, one of the Big Three who wasn't supposed to have kids. It was a crime just for me to be alive. Mr. D probably had orders to take me to Olympus, possibly with Percy.

I went down to the front porch of the big house. Dionysus sat at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt with his Diet Coke, just as he had when I'd first met him. Chiron sat across from him in his wheelchair. They were playing against invisible opponents- two sets of cards hovering in the air.

"Well, well," Mr. D said. "One of our little celebrities."

I waited.

"Come closer," Mr. D told me. "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, godling, just because Corpse Breath is your father."

Lightning flashed across the clouds. Thunder shook the house.

"Blah, blah, blah," Dionysus said. "Do you know why you're here?"

"No, sir," I said.

"I'm supposed to take you to Olympus, to the emergency meeting. We have to deal with the problems you and Peter created. I don't know why father would want you there, but who am I to question him? We're leaving as soon as I threaten the boy."

As he said this I got paler and paler (which was really hard, considering that my skin was already white), but I nodded and acted brave.

Percy came walking up to us with Grover at his heels.

"Our other little celebrity," Mr. D said to Percy. "Don't expect me to bow to you too, mortal, just because of who your father is. If I had my way, I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with part of the trouble. But Chiron seems to think it would be against my mission at this accursed camp: to keep you brats safe from harm."

"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm," Chiron reminded Mr. D.

"Nonsense, he wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father."

"Mr. D-" Chiron warned.

"Oh, alright," Dionysus said. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." He rose and motioned for me to do the same. "I'm off to take Atlante to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into a Atlantic Bottlenose. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson, you'll see that it's a much better option than what Chiron wants you to do."

Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a security pass.

He snapped his fingers, and we disappeared.

We appeared right outside the throne room on Olympus and my jaw dropped.

Dionysus smirked at me, but I didn't care. It was so pretty. It was on the top of a mountain, hanging in the air. Clinging to the mountainside were dozens of palaces, temples, courtyards, and gardens. All with white-columned porticos, glided terraces, and bronze braziers filled with fire.

Mr. D glared at me for lingering and said, "Follow me. Bow to Zeus before the others. Be respectful, no matter how hard it is for you. Got that, girl?"

"Yes, sir," I muttered and followed him through the doors to the throne room.

The room was the size of a train station. There were twelve thrones arranged in a semicircle, with a hearth in the center. All the Olympians were sitting in their thrones, plus Lady Hestia by the hearth. Opposite the doors was Lord Zeus's throne, with Lady Hera and Lord Poseidon by his sides. Artemis's throne was next to Poseidon's, and it was glowing silver. The gods were twenty-five feet tall, all sitting in their thrones. Dionysus went off to sit in his throne, which was covered in grape vines, while I continued until I was standing in front of Zeus. I bowed.

After about twenty seconds, Zeus said, "You may rise."

I did so, and I could feel the Olympians staring at me.

"Artemis, how did this come to happen?" Zeus asked, gesturing at me.

I tried to control the angry flush from being treated like a _thing_, but I don't think I was very successful.

"Father, even though you don't approve of Atlante, she is still my daughter and will become a very powerful goddess." Artemis said, getting defensive. "As for how she was born, Hades and I were tricked by Aphrodite."

"What?" Zeus got really mad and went to grab his master bolt, forgetting it wasn't there, but Artemis stopped him.

"Let me finish my tale before you blast someone, Father. Aphrodite got us both drunk and she drugged me to prevent me from remembering my vow. Then she locked us in a room together. When I confronted her the next morning about her forcing me to break my vow she said some nonsense about tension. About a month later, I realized I was pregnant. I told Hades and we decided I would hide my pregnancy, then the baby. I went to Hecate, and she agreed to help me as long as I did her a favor. Shortly after Atlante was born, I asked Hecate to make her appear as a demigod until she was old enough to live here and face everyone. However, something went wrong with the spell and instead of disguising her, it turned her into a demigod. Atlante still has ichor, you can only see it if you know she is a goddess, but she will not truly be a goddess until she is 17. Until she reaches that age, her powers will slowly grow and she has the same type of immortality my hunters have. Also, she will not know her domains until then. I gave her to Poseidon, because he has always been one of the more level-headed gods, to hide." Artemis got off her throne after her speech, and came over to me.

She whispered to me, "I'm sorry for abandoning you."

"I forgive you. You didn't want to," I whispered back.

Zeus coughed, making me jump, though Artemis- my mother- stayed next to me. "Thank you for telling us that," he said. "Still, we may have to destroy the girl if she is as powerful as you say. Those in favor of destruction?"

Only Hera and Ares raised their hands.

Artemis smirked, "Like I would let you kill my only child."

Apollo said, "I wouldn't let you, either" He winked at me, "I hate it when a pretty girl dies."

I blushed and Artemis sent an arrow between his legs, causing him to yelp.

"Very, well," Zeus said, sighing. "Artemis, take your daughter back to camp, then come back here."

She grabbed my hand and we disappeared in a flash of silver.

We reappeared a short distance from the big house.

"This is where I must leave you," she said. "Your father wants to meet you; I believe there is a quest heading near the underworld you can travel with. Summers you will be expected to stay at camp, in my cabin, but the rest of the year you will alternate staying with your father in the underworld, and with me and my hunters. That's how we will make sure you are trained properly." She turned to leave, but then stopped, like she had forgotten something. "You fight with a bow and with double knives, correct?"

I nodded.

"Take these." Artemis handed me a moon hairclip, and two bracelets. "The bracelets are knives made out of Stygian Iron, Hades gave them to me to give to you. The clip is a hunter's bow, with a quiver that will never run out. To activate them you only have to think about it. Goodbye, Atlante."

"Bye, mom," I said as she started to disappear, making her smile.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Hey guys! Sorry this chapter is so late, but I had many competitions and then I started a LotR fic with my friend. Because of that fic, and real life, updates will start being slower. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I am also starting something new. For each important number of reviews (10, 15, 20, etc.), the person who made it that number will get a chapter dedicated to them. Also, please say in a review or PM me if you have an opinion about who Tala should eventually be paired with.**

**Ro781727: Zeus doesn't think that she took it, but he doesn't trust or like her, so helping get his bolt back would get rid of some of the suspicion.**

**This chapter is dedicated to **_**hellraiserphoenix.**_

**Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize, Rick Riordan does.**

Chiron was surprisingly understanding about what I had heard and had to do, but there was one major problem.

"What do you mean that my _brother _is on that quest and they already left?" I was, understandably, a little mad. Well, more like so-angry-I-will-kill-someone mad.

Chiron flinched away from my glare. "Well," he said, oddly wary of me. "They needed to leave as soon as they could for their quest. Also, they had to travel overland in a bus to prevent them being blasted out of the sky. But," he paused, looking thoughtful. "You might be able to go in an airplane and catch up with them; Zeus would not risk killing you and starting World War Three, especially if it would turn his favorite daughter against him."

"Fine," I spat. "When do I leave and how do I get tickets?"

"They should reach St. Louis in two days. If you leave tomorrow, if they get there early you will be waiting for them. I will get the tickets and IM them." Chiron said, still looking slightly nervous.

"IM?"

"Iris-Messaging, she sends messages through the rainbow for gods and demigods."

"Oh, so you'll tell them to meet me where in St. Louis?"

"The arch."

"Fine," I turned and stormed out of the Big House, slamming the door on the way.

ooOOoo

Outside, I ran into Clarisse, literally. She was nervously twisting her hair and looking awkward.

"Look, Atlante," she started.

"Tala," I interrupted. "My name's Tala. I really hate being called that name."

"Tala," Clarisse continued. "Could I talk to you, maybe over there?"

She pointed to a shadow-filled alley between two cabins. I nodded. She stomped off, with me following.

When we got there, she turned to me. "Look, I'm sorry for being mean to you. I shouldn't have judged you because of what Prissy did." After her apology she just stood there, looking incredibly awkward. It occurred to me that that might have been her first apology ever.

"It's cool," I smiled at her. "Do you want to start over? Try being friends? I love your name for Percy, by the way."

"I'd like that." She looked a little more at ease, but still incredibly awkward. "I'm Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares."

"Tala Jackson, daughter of Hades and Artemis."

There was a pause.

"I'm leaving to go to meet my father tomorrow; will you help me get ready?" I asked Clarisse.

"Sure."

And so began my odd friendship with Clarisse.

ooOOoo

Two days later found me sitting at the snack bar of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, waiting for Percy and his quest mates to show up.

"Hey, Tala!" I looked up when I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Percy!" I yelled- most certainly NOT a squeal-, when I spotted Percy- or, as Clarisse was calling him, Prissy- weaving through the crowd to my seat. Behind him was Annabeth, with Grover coming in the rear.

"Hey guys," I said as I hugged Percy and Annabeth, then high-fived Grover.

"Come on, we have to go to the top of the arch," Annabeth said, already pulling me towards it. "We can fill each other in later, so now let's go!"

"Whoa, slow down, Annie. The arch isn't going to move and I haven't seen you for two days," I complained, but let her drag me into an elevator.

We were sharing the elevator with a big fat lady and her dog, and a family with this _adorable_ little boy.

We started going up, inside the arch. I'd never gone in an elevator that went in a curve, and I will never willingly get in one again. I don't like enclosed spaces anyway, but a curving space was just pushing it.

"No parents?" the fat lady asked us.

"They're below," Annie told her. "Scared of heights."

I wanted to say I would prefer to be down there too, but Percy stomped on my foot, hard.

"Oh, the poor darlings," the lady replied.

At the top of the Arch, the observation deck reminded me of a tin can with carpet. Rows of tiny windows looked out over the city on one side and the river of the other. It was a nice view, but if there was one thing I liked less than a confined space, it was one six-hundred feet in the air. I wanted to get out of there the moment we got off the elevator.

Annabeth kept talking about how she would've designed it, it was so annoying. She probably could've stayed up there for hours, but luckily the park ranger told us the deck was closing in a few minutes.

Percy (who was also looking glad we were leaving) and I steered Grover and Annie towards the exit, loaded them into the elevator, and were about to get in when we realized there was no room for us.

The park ranger said, "Next car, kids."

"We'll get out," Annabeth said. "We'll wait with you."

But that wouldn't work, there wouldn't be enough room in the next elevator either, so I said, "No, it's okay. Percy and I will just wait. See you at the bottom."

Grover and Annie looked nervous, but stayed in the elevator and let the doors shut. The elevator disappeared down the shaft.

Now the only people left on the observation deck were Percy and me, an adorable little boy with his parents, the park ranger, and the fat lady with her Chihuahua.

I smile uneasily at the fat lady. She smiled back, her forked tongue flicking between her teeth.

Wait a sec.

Forked tongue?

Before I could decide if I'd really seen that, her dog started to jump and bark at Percy.

"Now, son," she said. "This really isn't a good time."

Ice started forming in my stomach as Percy said, "Um, did you just call that Chihuahua your son?"

"A _Chimera_, not a Chihuahua, dear," the fat lady corrected as she rolled up her sleeves. Her skin, well, not really skin, was scaly and green. When she smiled, I saw her teeth were fangs. The pupils of her eyes were side-ways slits, like a serpent's.

The Chihuahua barked louder, and with each bark it grew. First to the size of a large dog, then a lion. The bark became a roar.

The little boy screamed. His parents pulled him towards the exit, bumping into the park ranger, who stood there with his mouth dropped open.

The Chimera was now so big its back rubbed against the roof. It had the head of a lion with a blood-caked mane, the body and hooves of a giant goat, and a serpent tail, a ten-foot-long diamondback growing right out of its butt. The rhinestone dog collar still hung around its neck, and the plate-sized dog tag was now easy to read:

CHIMERA

RABID, FIRE-BREATHING, POISONOUS

IF FOUND, PLEASE CALL

TARTUS, EXT. 954

I realized I hadn't even activated my knives, and Percy seemed to come to the same conclusion. My hands were numb. I was ten feet away from the Chimera's bloody maw, and I knew as soon as one of us moved we were dead.

The snake lady made a hissing noise that might have been laughter. "Be honored, Percy Jackson, Lord Zeus rarely lets me test a hero with one of my brood. For I am the Mother of Monsters, the terrible Echidna!" She totally ignored me, only focusing on Percy. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

Percy, being his normal obnoxious, oblivious, self (I'm only calling him Prissy after this), said, "Isn't that a type of anteater?"

She howled, her snake-like face turning brown and purple with rage. "I hate it when people say that! I hate Australia! Naming that ridiculous animal after me. For that, Perseus Jackson, my son will destroy you!" Nice going Percy, now she's really mad.

The Chimera charged at Percy. I activated my daggers and went to guard the mortals huddled by the door. Percy decided he would take care of the Chimera.

He was standing on the opposite side of the room, taunting the Chimera. His sword flashed in the light as the Chimera blew flames at him.

He dove through the explosion, leaving a huge hole of melting metal behind him.

I yelled, "Great job, Prissy. We just blowtorched a national monument."

He ignored me, smart move.

Percy slashed at the neck, but his sword bounced off the collar. The snake tail whipped around and bit him, making his sword fall out the hole. Might I add that the snake is poisonous?

He backed up until he was right next to the hole. Echidna laughed at Percy. "They don't make heroes like the used to, son, now do they?"

The monster growled. It seemed like it wasn't anxious to kill Percy, now that he was beaten.

I glared at Echidna. "You will pay for harming my brother, anteater."

Echidna hissed, but otherwise ignored me. "If you are truly your father's son, you should not fear water. Jump, Percy Jackson. My son's poison is near your heart. If you trust the worthless gods, then jump."

Percy looked hesitant, so I encouraged him. "Percy, trust me. I am not faithless and I am technically a goddess. Go to the water."

He said, "But, I can't leave you."

"I will be fine. Now, go!"

He smiled at me, and then jumped.

"I was not supposed to target you," Echidna hissed at me. "But, if you insist, Lord Zeus will not complain."

I growled, and threw a dagger at Echidna. It missed. Great, just great.

I dove to grab it, but it was already back on my wrist as a bracelet.

I ended up next the opening in the arch, and paused, freaked out by the huge gap.

When I was distracted by the huge, dizzying gap, the Chimera took the chance and knocked me out of the hole with its tail.

I fell, screaming.

There was blackness, like a comforting shadow, and I disappeared from the air.

-I-r-e-a-l-l-y-w-a-n-t-e-d-t-o-e-n-d-i-t-h-e-r-e-b-u-t-i-t-s-t-o-o-s-h-o-r-t-

I reappeared next to Grover and Annabeth, freaking them out.

"How did you do that? What happened? Where's Percy?" Annabeth asked.

I had trouble keeping my eyes open, but I still mumbled, "Don't know. Was falling. Chimera. Percy river. Need sleep."

And I heroically, not to mention typically, passed out.

ooOOoo

When I was woken up (forcibly) by Annabeth, we were on a train that had just arrived at Denver. I told them what had happened at Olympus and afterwards. Their reactions were, ah, interesting to say the least.

"You're lucky your mom's Zeus's favorite daughter," Annie said.

"I know, otherwise I'd probably be a pile of ashes. Though, the war my father would start if anything happened to me was probably a biggie," I told her.

Then I told Percy, Grover, and Annabeth what had happened to me on the platform, and Annie hit me. Hard.

"Never do that again!" she practically screamed at me while I winced. "You got knocked off the Gateway Arch when I left you alone for five minutes. If you do anything like that again you're not going more than five feet away from me!"

"Sheesh, Annie. No need to act like my mother. Anyway, I'm fine, so could we just ignore this and go get some food?" I smiled sheepishly at her, really afraid of what Artemis (it's so weird to think that SHE, of all goddesses, is my mom) would do to me if Annabeth reacted this badly.

"Fine. Just don't call me Annie!"

"Sorry, not doing it Annie."

"Arrow Face."

"Really, Owl Head?"

"Corpse Breath."

"Smartie."

Annie and I were having fun arguing, but Prissy stopped us. "Guys, we're at a dinner."

"Food!" Grover and I were excited, can you tell? Hey, I hadn't eaten for a long time. Well, it was probably sooner than the rest, but I'm a growing girl/demigod/goddess (not exactly sure which one I am).

We entered and sat at a booth. All around us happy families were eating burgers and drinking malts and sodas.

After what seemed like forever, a waitress came over. She raised her eyebrows skeptically, "Well?"

Percy said, "We, um, would like to order dinner." I never would've guessed.

"You kids have money to pay for it?"

Percy hesitated, it looked like he was trying to come up with a good enough lie. Grover looked ready to either: a. pass out, b. cry, or c. start eating the napkins. None of which would gain us points with the waitress.

Then a rumble shook the whole building as a huge motorcycle pulled up outside.

All conversation stopped. The motorcycle's headlights glared red. Its gas tank had flames painted on it and a gun holster on each side, complete with guns. The seat was leather, but leather that looked like. . . . well, human skin.

The guy on the bike would've made pro wrestlers run for mommy. He was dressed in a red muscle shirt and black jeans and a black leather duster, with a hunting knife strapped to his thigh. He wore red wrap-around shades and he had the cruelest face I'd ever seen- handsome, but in a bad-boy way- with an oily black crew cut and cheeks covered in scars. I knew I'd seen him somewhere before.

As he walked into the diner, a dry, dusty wind blew in. All the people rose, as if they were hypnotized, but the biker waved his hand dismissively and everyone sat down. I cursed like mad in Ancient Greek AND English, because I knew who it was. The waitress blinked, like someone had rewound her brain. She asked again, "You kids got money for that?"

Ares said, "It's on me." He slid into our booth, which was way too small for him, pushing me off my seat and onto his lap. I scowled.

He looked up at the waitress, who was gaping at him, and asked, "You still here?"

He pointed at her, and she stiffened and marched back to the kitchen, like someone had forced her.

"Hey, girly," Ares said to me. "Comfortable?"

He ignored my snort and smirked. "'Course you are."

Ares looked at Percy and grinned. "So you're old seaweed's kid, huh?"

Percy, being infinitively smart, asked, "What's it to you?" I would've high-fived him if I wasn't forcibly on Ares's lap.

Annie's eyes warned him and started to reprimand him, but she was interrupted.

"S'okay," Ares said, raising his hand. "I don't mind a little attitude. Long as he remembers who's boss. You know who I am, little cousin?" He pulled me a little closer to him, and my eyes flashed dangerously. Man, I wanted to kill him.

"You're Clarisse's dad," Percy said. "Ares, god of war."

He smiled again, took off his shades and handed them to me. (What was I, his slave? Oh gods, that would suck.) "That's right, punk. I heard you broke Clarisse's spear."

"She was asking for it," Prissy justified his actions. I really wanted to say she wasn't all that bad, but with me on the lap of her very war-like father, I decided it might not be the smartest thing to do.

"That's cool. I don't fight my kids' fights, y'know? I heard you were in town and I got a little proposition for you."

The waitress came back with heaping tray filled with the best looking food possible. Cheeseburgers, french-fries, onion rings, and shakes were just the beginning.

Ares handed her some drachmas.

She looked at them nervously. "But, these aren't. . . "

Ares pulled out his huge knife and started cleaning his nails with it. (It was gross, like, really really gross.) "got a problem, sweetheart?"

She swallowed, and left the table with the gold.

"You can't just do that," Percy told him. "Threatening people with knives, it's not right."

Ares laughed. "Are you kidding? I love this country. Best place since Sparta. Don't you carry a weapon, punk? You should. Dangerous world out there. Which brings me to my proposition."

"What favor could we do for a . . . god?" I asked, not wanting to admit he actually had a higher status than I did, since he was such a jerk.

"I can think of a few things." He ran his eyes up and down my body while wrapping his arms around my chest. I glared at him (seriously, I was only twelve and he was checking me out, not to mention that he was like, 3000 years older), wanting to hit him, but knowing it would only encourage him. "But this is for the punk, not you, girly. The job's nothing much. I left my shield at an abandoned water park here in town. I was going on a little . . . date with my girlfriend." I snorted. Ares glared at me for interrupting, and continued talking. "We were interrupted. I left my shield behind. I want you to get it for me."

"Why don't you go back and get it yourself?" Percy asked, he really needs to learn when not to annoy a god, aka when I was basically held hostage by that god (Hey, I didn't have all my powers yet, so I only had the same amount a Big Three demigod would).

"Why don't I turn you into a prairie dog and run you over with my Harley? Because I don't feel like it. A god is giving you an opportunity to prove yourself, Percy Jackson. Will you prove yourself a coward? Or do you only fight when there's a river to dive into?"

I could tell Percy was struggling to keep from punching Ares. I was silently urging him to do it, because even if I got hit, it would still be better than being on his lap.

"We're not interested," Percy said after a few moments. "We've already got a quest and we have to get Tala to her dad."

"I know about your quest and job, punk." I could tell Ares was glaring without looking. "I'm telling you if you don't get the shield you won't be able to do your job. If you do, you can continue and I'll give you a little help."

"What do you mean, we won't be able to do our job?"

"I'm saying if you don't get my shield you won't get your cousin back." I went white.

Annie looked at me sympathetically. Percy glared while going pale (it was an interesting, but not frightening, sight) and said, "She's my sister, not my cousin, but we'll get your shield."

"Do I look like I care how you're related? The park's a mile west on Delancy. Look for the Tunnel of Love ride. Meet me back here when you're done."

ooOOoo

Ares put me in some sort of trance, because I could see and remember what was happening, but not do anything. It was _so _frustrating, I wanted to scream. I don't think it should've affected me this way, maybe because I was a goddess in a demigod's body? Anyway, I was made to sit on a red couch in Ares's (horribly) red 'temple', and watch Percy make a fool of himself (poor Annie, he didn't even realize why she shouldn't of gone on the _Tunnel of Love _ride with him) on Hephaestus TV.

After the stupid show was done, Ares took me back to the diner parking lot. After a minute I spotted Percy storming up to us, Annabeth and Grover running behind him. Thankfully, the shield was on his arm.

"Well, well," Ares said. "you didn't get yourself killed."

"You knew it was a trap," Percy said. I could _see _the air getting thicker with moisture around him in his anger.

Ares grinned evilly. "Bet that crippled blacksmith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids. You looked good on TV."

Percy shoved the shield at him. "You're a jerk."

I, Annie, and Grover caught our breath.

Ares grabbed the shield and spun it in the air like pizza dough. It changed shape, turning into a Kevlar vest. He slung it across his back, then let me out of the annoying trance. He shoved me in the back. I rammed into Percy, sending us crashing into the pavement.

"See that truck over there?" Ares pointed to an eighteen-wheeler parked across the street. "That's your ride. Take you straight to L.A., with one stop in Vegas.

The truck had a sign on the back, which I could only read because my dyslexia had been getting better since I learned who I am. It read: KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT. WARNING: LIVE ANIMALS.

Percy said, "You're kidding."

"Free ride west, punk. Don't complain. Here's a little something for the ladies." Ares handed me a blue backpack with clothes, drachmas, and Oreos in it.

"Surely you could do a little better, Lord Ares," I said, winking at him.

He smiled at me, or at least tried. It looked was more like a leer.

"See you later, girly." He winked at me and pointed to the door, opening it, then flashed out.

"Did you just . . . _flirt _with ARES?" Percy asked, looking disgusted.

I shuddered. "It worked, but never again. Never again. Even just doing that bit makes me sick."

Annie nodded, shuddering.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hey, guys! The only good thing about being sick is having more time to write, so you may get another chapter soon. It depends on how I feel. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, it's nice what you think. Also, if you have an opinion on who Tala should be paired with, leave a review or PM me.**

**ro781727: You know how Percy and Annabeth argue at the beginning of their quest? That's what Tala and Annie were doing, so it wasn't like mean arguing, it was more like friendly arguing. I don't know if that made any sense, it did to me.**

**This Chapter is dedicated to **_**Chickadee**_** (aka **_**CuckooBird**_** aka **_**CrazyChicken**_** [And yes, I insist on calling you that])**

**Disclaimer: I think you should know by now that I don't own anything you recognize.**

Inside the truck, it smelled like all the waste from a zoo put in one spot. AKA, disgusting. Almost as disgusting as flirting with Ares. Not kidding.

The trailer was dark until Percy uncapped his sword (I think it was called Riptide?), that he had gotten around the time I got my bow and daggers (I really need to name those). His blade cast a faint bronze light (sadly, only my bow makes light, the daggers attract shadows) over the sad, messed-up scene. Sitting in filthy cages were an antelope, a zebra, and an albino lion. They looked so pathetic I wanted to cry.

Someone had given the lion turnips and the other two raw hamburgers. None of them looked very happy about their meal. The zebra's mane was matted with chewing gum, like it was some sort of trashcan. Seriously people? The poor antelope had a birthday balloon tied to one of its antlers, one of those rude ones saying: OVER THE HILL.

"This is kindness?" Grover yelled.

"Humane zoo transport?" I added in disbelief.

We probably would've beaten up the truck drivers, but the engine shuddered and we were forced to sit down or fall down.

We huddled on some feed sacks and attempted to ignore the heat, smell, and flies. Grover tried to talk to the animals, but they just looked at him sadly. Percy refilled their water bowls, and gave the correct food to each animal. I cut the balloon off the antelope, and Annabeth tried to get some of the gum off the zebra.

Grover and Percy curled up on feed sacks, falling asleep immediately. Annie opened a bag of Oreos from Ares's backpack, and we shared it.

"Hey, I was made to watch the water park quest-thingy," I told Annie. "I'm sorry it was spiders."

She shuddered. "I hate those things. They're all Arachne's descendants, so if there's one within a mile it'll find me. I hate them."

"I don't blame you. When did you and Percy get so close? At camp you hated each other."

"We fought some Kindly Ones then Medusa. It destroyed any barriers between us."

"Yeah, makes sense. He's my. . brother, so. . ."

"If I do anything to hurt him, you'll beat me up?"

"Exactly." I paused for a bit. "I hate this. I was happy, with Percy as my twin and living at home with Sally. Then I find out my entire life has been a lie. Percy's not my twin, and now it's awkward whenever I go to call him brother. My parents are gods, and I'm nothing. I don't fit in anywhere, being not quite a goddess, but not a demigod either. I don't even know my inherited powers yet, let alone my domain. It's lonely. Life was simpler and happier before." I sighed, feeling better now that it was off my chest.

"I went through something like that too," Annie said. "I ran away from home at seven, after years of being hated and ignored from my so-called family. Then I found Luke and Thalia, only to have her die. And when I found out who my mom is, I was excited, but compared to everyone else I felt weak, because Athena kids can't physically do things like the others. Our experiences aren't that different. It's enough to make anyone bitter."

"Yeah. You were one of the only people who weren't obviously afraid of me after I was claimed. Even though I could never talk to anyone, you'd smile at me when no one was looking. Thanks for that."

"Maybe it was because I could recognize the feeling of being alone."

"Friends?"

"Friends," Annabeth agreed.

"Cool, Annie. I'm going to sleep."

"Fine, Tala. Just don't call me Annie!"

"Whatever."

ooOOoo

I woke to Prissy shaking my shoulder. "The truck's stopped," he said. "We think they're going to check on the animals."

"Hide!" Annabeth hissed.

She had it easy. She just put on a magic cap and disappeared. Percy and Grover hid behind feed sacks to try and be turnips. Needless to say, they were pretty obvious. I went to the corner of the trailer and sunk into the shadows, hoping they would hide me.

The doors creaked open. Sunlight and heat poured in. Now, me being a daughter of two gods connected to darkness (underworld, moon), I'm not a fan of sudden, bright light. It normally doesn't bother me, but that went from pitch black to really bright. I think I made some sort of strangled noise, like a cat being stepped on, while going temporarily blind.

"Man!" one of the truckers said, waving a hand in front of his (extremely ugly) nose. "I wish I hauled appliances." He poured some water from a jug into the animals' dishes, then splashed the rest onto the lion. This man represented everything I hated about men, being cruel to a captive one of the highest offences.

The trucker threw the antelope a squashed Happy Meal bag. He smirked at the zebra. "We're getting rid of you, Stripes. You like magic shows? You're gonna love this one. They're gonna saw you in half. Hey, Horns? Feeling lonely? You're not left out. They're gonna turn you inta ante-chops!" The idiot snickered at his messed-up 'joke'.

The antelope looked at me pleadingly. There wasn't any sound, but I heard it say: _Free me, lady. I beg you._

I was stunned and confused. Unbidden, my bow appeared in my hands, but it wasn't glowing enough to be noticed.

There was a loud knocking sound on the side of the trailer.

The stupid dog (who I hoped my mom would turn into a jackalope) inside with us yelled, "What da you want, Eddie?"

A voice outside- Eddie?- shouted back, "Maurice? What'd ya say?"

"What are ya bangin' for?"

More knocking.

Outside, Eddie yelled, "What bangin'?"

Idiot #1 rolled his eyes and went back outside, cursing Eddie.

A second later Annie appeared, she must've been the one knocking, and said, "There's no way this is legal."

"No dip, Sherlock," I told her, rolling my eyes.

She jumped. "Tala! You just- just appeared from the shadows. Anyway, we _have _to free the animals."

Why could I only hear the antelope? Maybe it was because a deer is my mom's sacred animal and antelopes are like deer? Probably.

The antelope said: _Free me, lady. I will be fine after that._

Outside, Idiots #1 and #2 were still yelling at each other. They'd probably be back in a moment. I quickly shot an arrow at the antelope's cage door, opening it instantly (the arrow was silver, if you're wondering. Also, I used the bow because it was in my hand). At the same time, Percy smashed open the zebra's cage.

The two animals burst out, each bowing to one of us, the zebra to Percy and the antelope to me. _Thank you, milady._

Grover held up his hands and said something to the pair, like a blessing.

When Idiot #1 poked his head back in, the animals jumped over his head and ran out through Vegas.

The Idiots ran after them, with policemen running after them.

"Now would be the best time to leave," Annie said.

"The lion first," Grover replied.

Percy opened the lock. Grover blessed the lion like the others.

"Good luck," I told the lion. It burst out of its cage and ran off into the streets.

Some tourists screamed. Others just stepped back and took pictures, probably thinking this was just another stunt.

"Will the animals be okay?" Percy asked Grover. "I mean, with the desert-"

"Don't worry," he told him. "I put a satyr's sanctuary on them. It'll make sure they have everything they need."

"Why couldn't you put one of those on us?" Guess who asked that.

"They only work on wild animals."

"So it would only affect Percy," Annabeth and I reasoned.

"Hey!" he protested. Notice how he didn't deny it?

"Kidding," Annie said. "Let's get out of this filthy truck."

We stumbled out into the desert heat. It must've been a hundred and ten degrees, and we probably looked like vagrants, but everyone else only cared about the wild animals.

We walked along the streets. I wasn't sure what we were looking for. A place that would let preteens wander in and eat their food for free?

We probably took a wrong turn, because we found ourselves at a dead end, standing in front of the Lotus Hotel and Casino. The entrance was a huge, light-up, blinking, neon flower. It was sickening. No one was using it, but the doors were open, letting huge drafts of air-conditioned, lotus blossom-smelling air out.

The doorman smiled at us. "Hey, kids. You look tired. Want to come in and sit down for a bit?"

Percy nodded, and we entered.

The lobby was one huge game room. It was so fancy, with high-tech games, waterslides, and food, that I hated it. I'd never been one for that sort of thing, and combined with the scented air, I despised it. Also, something seemed . . . off. Like the place was a straight line in a pattern of waves or that it was running ahead of where it should be, so it was meeting a place way ahead of its proper spot.

"Hey," a bellhop said to us as we stood, staring. "Welcome to the Lotus Hotel and Casino. Here's your room key."

Percy stammered, "Um, but. . . ."

"No, no," the bellhop said, laughing. "The bill's taken care off. Room 4001. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call the front desk. Here are your LotusCash cards. They work everywhere."

He handed us each a green plastic credit card.

We went up to our room, and I just collapsed on the bed, falling asleep because the off-ness was giving me a headache, and leaving the others to their own devices.

ooOOoo

I woke to Percy shaking me, again. "Come on," he said. "We're leaving."

"Good," I grumbled." This place is off. A flow is wrong."

"Umm, okay then. Let's go!"

We, Grover, and Annie went off, sprinting past the person trying to keep us in.

Outside, I gave a sigh of relief. The lines were correct again. Even though I had no idea what I was talking about, it was better.

Percy ran to a newspaper stand. He grabbed a paper, and let out a sigh of relief, then froze and started freaking out. He showed us the date. It was five days after we entered the hotel.

"What the heck?" I started freaking out.

"Later, Tala. First we need to get to LA." Percy stopped me in the middle of my craziness fest.

Annabeth dragged us over to a cab, shoved us in, and said to the driver, "Los Angeles, please." She was acting like we actually had money, so she probably had a plan.

The cabbie chewed on his cigar and inspected us. "That's three-hundred miles. For that, you gotta pay up front."

"You accept casino debit cards?" Annie asked him.

He shrugged. "Some of 'em. Gotta swipe them through first."

Annie handed him her green LotusCash card.

He looked at it skeptically.

"Swipe it through," I encouraged him.

He did.

His mouth dropped open, his cigar fell out, and an infinity symbol appeared on his cash meter-thingy. "Where to in Los Angeles, uh, your highness?"

"The Santa Monica Pier. Get us there fast and you can keep the change," Annabeth told him.

She probably shouldn't have said that. The car never went slower than 90 MPH.

ooOOoo

On the road, we had plenty of time to talk. Percy told us about a dream he had about a black pit, but he couldn't remember it all. Whatever was in that pit, it wasn't good. Annie seemed to have an idea of what it was, but the idea was so bad she was practically begging it not to be correct. When you hear an Athena kid hoping that they're wrong, it's really bad.

They also told me more about their quest, but they were hiding something from me. They wouldn't tell me who they thought had the master bolt, only that it was in LA. I had a sneaking suspicion they thought it was my father, I mean, why else would they ask me to make sure they get into the Underworld?

About halfway there, I thought of something that made me sit up straight in shock. "Annie!"

"What, Tala?" she asked me with a groan (I had woken her up).

"In the casino, something felt _off _to me."

She sat up straighter. "You mean- you think- Or maybe it was just a normal god thing? "

"I don't know."

"Let's assume it was just a normal god thing."

"Agreed."

ooOOoo

At the Santa Monica Pier, we got off the cab. Percy just walked straight into the surf, ignoring Annie's comments about the pollution. The rest of us just found a place on the sand to wait for him.

About two hours later, Percy emerged from the water, completely dry. He showed us some pearls his dad gave him.

Annabeth warned him, "No gift comes without a price."

He shook his head. "They were free."

My turn to do a saying! "There is no such thing as a free lunch." Only I said it in Greek.

He just shrugged and led us away from the beach, the backpack from Ares now on Annie's shoulder (I had given her it in the break).

**AN: This is weird, doing an AN at the end. Anyway, there were two hints in there for future events, if you can guess them points to you!**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: *Hides behind computer* Don't kill me! I'm so sorry it took me this long to update, but I was really really busy. I dance, so I had a performance and almost constant rehearsals and/or classes, I competed in Science Olympiad, which went really well, but took forever to get ready for, my muse decided to go on a trip through different fandoms, I had absolutely horrible writer's block, I'm writing a research paper, and school/regular life. So, yeah, that's why it took so long to update. But I made this chapter extra long! :D You may have noticed there's an extra character in the important character thingy, anyone know why? Oh, and about Tala's like/dislike for men, she doesn't particularly like or dislike them at first, but if they are rude, arrogant, idiots, or brats she hates them and treats them disdainfully. Basically, they have to prove themselves to her before she'll be nice or fair to them. Random question: Is it considered sadistic or masochistic if you enjoy hurting a character based off you? Also, the rating starts coming into play next chapter or the one after. *smirks* This AN is already over two hundred words, so I'll shut up.**

_**Ill elemental**_**: I don't speak Spanish, but I'm guessing you said you don't think there should be a pairing, but TalaxApollo if there is? (I used Google Translate) Thanks for the input, I appreciate it. You'll see later.**

_**Chickadee**_**: Yuck Ares Yuck! That was more a joke/trick part. Interesting visual. There is a reason I had to wait 8 years before being allowed to do that, you know. Did you have any idea that after writing PJO fanfiction for a while, you start accidentally saying **_**Gods**_** instead of **_**God**_**? It makes for awkward situations. . .**

**This chappie is, again, dedicated to **_**Chickadee**_** for being the 20****th**** reviewer. (Do you wait until there's almost the number of reviews or something? This is the second chapter in a row)**

**Disclaimer: I am not male, so (sadly) I am not Rick Riordan and don't own this. *pouts***

With some spare change from Ares's backpack, we took the bus into West Hollywood. Percy showed the driver a slip of paper that apparently had the Underworld's address on it. I had no idea how they got it, probably from a monster, but that wasn't important. Anyway, the driver had never heard of it.

"You and your friend remind me of some people I saw on TV," he told Percy. "You child actors or something?"

"Um. . . We're stunt doubles . . . for a lot of child actors?" It's official, Percy has the second worst lying skills ever, he would have the worst, but Grover. . .

"Oh! That explains it." This guy is such an idiot.

We thanked him and quickly got off the bus.

We wandered for hours, looking for 'DOA Studios' (or so Percy told me).Nobody seemed to know where it was. It wasn't in the phonebook when Percy looked (sometimes I wonder about his mental health).

Three times, we ducked into alleys to avoid policemen.

Percy and I froze in front of an appliance store. A TV was playing an interview with someone annoyingly familiar- our stepdad, Smelly Gabe. He was lying to everyone in the US, pretending we were delinquents. Annabeth grabbed Percy's arm before he could hit the TV, but Grover didn't act quickly enough. I punched a hole in the store's window and wrecked the TV. It felt so good. . .

Grover dragged me away pretty quickly after that.

It got dark, and hungry-looking characters started roaming the streets. I don't scare easily, but I quickly realized we would be prime targets for the gangs. We were all vulnerable without weapons to harm mortals. Sure, my bow would work, but that was long-distance, well, mostly.

As we hurried past the mouth of an alley, a voice from the darkness said, "Hey, you!"

Like an idiot, Prissy stopped us.

We were surrounded before I could blink. A gang of white boys were in a circle around us. Six rich brats trying to be bad.

Percy uncapped Riptide.

The kids started to back off now that there was a sword, but the leader was a huge idiot. He kept coming closer with his switchblade.

Prissy swung his sword, but the boy must have been pure mortal, because it just passed through his chest. The boy looked down, shocked.

Percy pushed Grover, Annie, and I, yelling, "Run!"

We pushed two brats (wow, I spent wayyy too much time near Mr. D) out of the way, and ran away on a random street. We made a sharp left turn and dove into a shop called: CRUSTY'S WATERBED PALACE.

We all hid behind different waterbeds.

"I think we lost them," Grover panted.

A voice behind me boomed, "Lost who?"

We all jumped.

Standing behind me was a guy who looked like a raptor in a suit. He was at least seven feet tall, without a single hair on head. He had grey skin, heavy-lidded eyes, and a snake-like smile. He moved slowly, but I felt that he could move really quickly if he wanted to.

"I'm Crusty," he said with a tartar-yellow smile.

I muttered, "Yes, you are," as Percy said, "Sorry, we were just, um, browsing."

"You mean hiding from those no-good kids," he grumbled. "They always hang around. You want to look at a waterbed?"

I was going to say no, but he put a hand on my shoulder and forced me deeper into the store, the others following.

He pointed to a black bed. "This is my most popular model. Million-hand massage. Go on, try it out. Shoot, take a nap. I don't get many customers."

Percy looked ready to say we were leaving, but Grover dove onto the bed.

"Million-hand massage!" he cried. "This is awesome!"

"Hmm," Crusty said, stroking his chin. "Almost."

He steered me to a bed and pushed me on. "Try this one, honey. Might fit."

"Hey!" I protested.

He snapped his fingers. "_Ergo_"

Ropes snapped around the bed, tying me down. Out of the corner of my eye I could see it happening to Grover, too.

The ropes started stretching me.

I could vaguely hear Annie being stretched too, then Percy tricking Crusty, but I was in too much pain to pay attention.

ooOOoo

Percy walked over to me and cut the ropes binding me to the bed. Of course, he did it after he freed Grover and Annabeth. I cursed at him.

"You look taller," he told us, smiling.

"Very funny," Annie said. "Be faster next time."

Percy looked at a board in the back while I was trying to get rid of the pain from being stretched, and found the address for DOA.

"Come on," he told us.

"Hang on for a sec," Grover complained. "We were almost stretched to death!"

"Then you're ready for the Underworld," Percy said. "It's just a block from here."

"Let's go!" I was bouncing from excitement. "And when we get there, let me take the lead."

"You're the only person I know who would be excited to go to the Underworld." Percy was staring at me like I had an extra head. "But, you do have the advantage there, so let's go."

ooOOoo

We stood in the shadows of the street, looking up at gold letters etched in black marble: DOA RECORDING STUDIOS.

Underneath, stenciled on the doors: NO LOITERING, NO SOLICITORS, NO LIVING.

It was almost midnight, but the lobby was lightly light and full of people. Behind the security desk sat a tough looking guard with sunglasses and an earpiece.

Percy turned to us. "You remember what to do?"

"Yes, Percy. We'll be fine. Now follow me." I opened the doors and walked through.

Muzak played softly on hidden speakers. The carpet and walls were steel grey. Cacti grew in the corners like skeletal hands. The furniture was black leather and every seat was taken. Nobody moved, or talked, or did much of anything.

The security guard's desk was on a raised platform, so we had to look up at him.

He was tall and elegant, with chocolate-colored skin and bleached-blonde hair shaved military style. He wore tortoiseshell shades and a silk Italian suit that matched his hair. A black rose was pinned to his lapel under a silver nametag.

He leaned across the desk as we came up to him. "How may I help you, little dead ones?" he asked us.

"We are not dead, Charon." I said softly.

He paled slightly. "You-You're her?"

"Who exactly, am I?"

"Lord Hades' daughter?" He said, but it sounded more like a question.

"Yes."

"You're expected. This way." He stood up, but I wasn't done.

"My friends?"

"They will have to stay here?"

"Wrong answer. They are coming with me." I was annoyed.

"Ye-yes, of course. You four will fill the boat."

"Good. I would hate to have to mention this to my father." I think Charon might've wet his pants. That was fun.

"Yes. This way." He led us the elevator in the corner, and we started going down.

"You're really scary when angry," Percy whispered in my ear. "It was like the shadows were drawn to you. Even ghosts were frightened."

I smirked. "Good."

ooOOoo

The elevator turned into a boat right after I finished speaking. Charon (now in a hooded robe as a skeleton) was rowing us across a heavily polluted river, swirling with all sorts of things.

"The River Styx," Annie murmured. "It's so. . . "

"Polluted," Charon said. "For thousands of years mortals have been throwing in every failure they find. Such irresponsible waste management."

Mist curled off the filthy water. Above us, almost lost in the gloom, was a ceiling of stalactites. Ahead, the far shore glimmered with greenish light, the color of poison.

The shoreline of the Underworld came into view. Craggy rocks and black volcanic sand stretched inland about a hundred yards to the base of a high stone wall, which marched off in either direction as far as I could see. A sound came from somewhere nearby in the green gloom, echoing off the stones- the cry of a large animal.

The bottom of our boat slid onto the black sand. The dead began to disembark. A woman holding a little girl's hand. An old man and woman hobbling along arm in arm. A boy no older than I was, shuffling along in his grey robe.

As I was getting out, Charon asked hopefully, "Do- do you think you could mention a pay raise when talking to your father? I did, after all help you across."

I glared at him. "No."

He had nothing to say to that, so he took up his pole, and ferried back across the river.

We followed the spirits up a well-worn path.

ooOOoo

I'm not sure what I expected, but the entrance to the Underworld looked like a cross between airport security and the Jersey Turnpike.

There were three separate entrances underneath a huge black arch that read YOU ARE NOW ENTERING EREBUS. Each entrance had a pass-through metal detector with security cameras mounted on top. Beyond this were tollbooths manned by black-robed ghouls like Charon.

The howling of the animal continued, really loudly. I had the feeling t was from Cerberus, but there was no proof because we could barely see.

The dead queued up in three lines, two marked ATTENDANT ON DUTY, and the other marked EZ DEATH. The EZ DEATH line was moving along quickly, but the other two were crawling.

"Where do you think we should go?" I asked Annabeth.

"EZ DEATH, I think." Annie bit her lip. "Once past we should be able to get out of the line, and go to Hades' palace."

"Cool."

We got closer to the gates. The howling was shaking the ground, but there was no noticeable source.

Then, about fifty feet in front of us, the green mist shimmered. Standing where the path split in thirds was an enormous shadowy monster. Cerberus?

"Cerberus," Annie whispered, her voice quivering.

"He's a Rottweiler," Percy said in awe.

"Umm, guys, ignore the ADHD for a moment. We need to focus." Poor Grover was shaking in his winged sneakers.

"Right, sorry," I said, shaking my head at Percy's idiocy.

The dead walked past him, under him for EZ DEATH, with no fear. Theoretically, I shouldn't be afraid either, but I dare you to face Cerberus and not be scared.

We moved closer.

The middle head moved closer to us, sniffed us, and then set down in front of me.

"Hey big guy," I said to it, scratching the middle head. "Can we get past you?"

The head barked, loudly.

"Hey, Annie!" I muttered back to her. "You have any balls in that backpack?"

"What? Why wou— oh, never mind." Annie rummaged through Ares's backpack. "Here." She handed me a big red rubber ball.

"You want the ball?" I asked Cerberus. All three heads focused on me. "Then let us through."

The middle head lifted up.

"Go guys." I pushed Annie, Grover, and Percy forward. They ran to the other side of Cerberus, and waited as I tossed the ball up and joined them.

"A ball?" Prissy smirked at me.

"Shut up. Better than anything you could come up with. I only hope he doesn't end up addicted to them." I stuck out my tongue at him.

"Knock it off, you two," Annie said with a sigh. "Let's go."

We turned and pushed through the metal detector, which immediately screamed and set off red lights. "Unauthorized possessions! Magic detected!"

We burst through the EZ DEATH gate, starting even more alarms, and ran into the Underworld.

ooOOoo

Imagine the largest concert you've ever seen. Now imagine a field filled with a billion times that amount of people, and imagine that the electricity has gone out, and there's no noise, no light, no anything. Something tragic has just happened. Whispering masses are just milling around, eternally waiting for the concert to start.

That's basically what the Fields of Asphodel looked like. The black grass had been trampled by eons of dead feet. A warm, moist wind blew like the breath of a swamp. Black poplars grew in scattered clumps.

The cavern ceiling was so high it looked like a cloudy sky, only covered in stalactites.

To the left of where we entered was the Fields of Punishment, a vast, lava-filled, barbed wire-separated, cracked wasteland. Even from far away, I could see horrible punishments, but I had no sympathy for the ones being tortured. They deserved what they got.

The right of us was much nicer. It was a walled valley, which seemed to be the only happy place in the entire Underworld. Beyond the security gate were villas from every period of history. Flowers bloomed out on lawns. Grass grew. I could hear laughter and smell food.

Elysium.

In the center of Elysium was a lake with three small islands, the Isles of the Blest, the home of the people who were reborn three times and achieved Elysium each time.

Straight ahead, far off in the distance, was the palace of Hades. It was made of glittering black obsidian and bronze, it looked like a darker Olympus. The Furies circled above it.

We walked towards the palace, but when we were almost there, Grover yelped. His sneakers sprouted wings and his legs shot forward, pulling him away from us. He landed flat on his back.

"Grover." Annie sighed. "Stop messing around."

"But I didn't do an—"

He yelped again. His shoes were flapping insanely now. They started flying and dragging Grover away.

_"Maia!"_ he yelled, but the word did nothing. _"Maia,_ already! Help! Nine-one-one! Someone help!"

I snapped out of my shock to see Percy lunging towards Grover, but missing. He was picking up speed, skidding downhill like a sled.

We ran after him.

Annabeth instructed in a really loud yell, "Untie the shoes!"

It was a good idea, but the thing about being dragged by your feet is that you can't _sit up_. Grover tried, but couldn't get anywhere near the laces.

We kept running after him, trying to keep him in sight as he sped closer to Hades' palace.

Right before he would've gone through the gates, the shoes veered sharply to the right and he sped off in a new direction.

The slope got steeper. Grover went even faster. Annabeth, Percy, and I had to sprint to keep up. The cavern walls closed in on either side, and we entered some sort of tunnel.

"Grover!" Percy hollered. "Hold on to something!"

"What?" he shouted back.

He was snatching at the gravel, but it did nothing to slow him down.

The tunnel got darker and colder. My hair felt like it was standing on end. It smelled evil, really evil. It made me think about all the bad things I'd ever heard about, even some I hadn't.

Percy stopped suddenly in front of me. I didn't stop in time, and ran into him, sending us tumbling near the edge of a chasm the size of a city block.

"Great jo-" he said, then trailed off, staring at the pit. I stared too, feeling the immense evil.

"Come on, Percy!" Annabeth yelled, tugging at his wrist.

"But that's-"

"I know!" she shrieked. "But Grover's going to fall in if we don't do something!" That got us moving.

Grover was yelling, clawing at the gravel, but the winged shoes were dragging him to the pit, and there was no way we could get there in time.

His hooves saved him.

The sneakers had always been a loose fit, and the stress of the yanking knocked the left off. It sped into the darkness, down into the chasm. The right shoe kept pulling, but not nearly as quickly. Grover was able to slow himself down by grabbing onto the only big rock in the area.

He was only five feet away from the edge when we caught him and pulled him back up the slope. The other winged shoe pulled itself off his foot, kicked our heads, and committed suicide by diving into the pit.

We all collapsed, panting, onto obsidian gravel.

Grover was badly scratched, with bleeding hands. His eyes were wide with slit-pupils, obviously terrified.

"I don't know how. . ." he panted. "I swear, I didn't. . ."

"Wait," Percy said. "Listen."

We waited a few seconds, then Annie said, "Percy, this place—we need to go."

"Shh." Percy and I stood up.

I could hear this sound, a muttering, evil voice, coming from the chasm.

Grover sat up. "Wha—what's the noise?"

Annie gulped, she could hear it too. "It's—it's the entrance to—"

I cut her off. "Tartarus, it's the entrance to Tartarus." My voice sounded oddly flat and emotionless.

Percy uncapped his sword. I summoned my bow.

The sword expanded as the bow appeared, the gleam of the bronze blade mingling with the silver light of my bow, and the evil voice faltered for a moment, then resumed.

I could make out some words now, but they didn't sound like Greek. They seemed . . . older, like from a time before. . .

My eyes widened with the realization as Percy said, "Magic."

"We need to go," Annabeth said.

"No dip, Sherlock," I grumbled, but helped Grover up. We hurried back up the tunnel; it felt like my legs couldn't move fast enough. The voice got louder and angrier behind us, and we started running.

Not a moment too soon.

A cold blast of wind pulled at us, as if the pit were inhaling. For a horrible moment, Annabeth tripped, and we all had to grab her to keep her from being sucked to the chasm. If we had been any closer, we all would've died.

We kept struggling forward, and finally reached the top of the tunnel, where the cavern met the Fields of Asphodel. The wind died, and there was a loud wail of outrage from the tunnel. Apparently, IT (Or maybe I should say he?) wasn't happy we got away.

"What was that?" Grover panted. "One of Hades' pets?"

I scowled. "Not everything unlikable is my father's. There are much worse things." I turned my bow back into a clip.

"And that was one of them?" Percy asked, following my example and capping his sword. I glared at him, but it was pretty weak because of the recent encounter.

He seemed to see how scared I was, and just exchanged looks with Annie instead of pressing me. "Let's keep going."

ooOOoo

The furies circled the parapets, almost invisible in the gloom. The obsidian walls glittered, and the bronze gates stood wide open.

Inside the courtyard was the weirdest garden I'd ever seen. Multicolored mushrooms, poisonous shrubs, and luminous plants grew without natural light. Precious jewels littered the courtyard in clumps, making up for the lack of flowers. Scattered around were grotesque stone statues.

In the center of the garden was an orchard of pomegranates. "The gardens of Persephone," Annie said. "Keep moving." She adjusted the backpack on her shoulders, and started to move.

I picked one and put it in my pocket (to see if I could eat it), as Percy dragged Grover away from picking them.

We walked up the steps of the palace, between black columns, through a black marble portico, and into the house of Hades. The entrance hall had a bronze floor, which seemingly boiled in the torchlight. It was depressing how identical it was to Olympus.

All the side entrances were guarded by skeletons in military gear, from all eras of time. They carried spears or muskets or M-16s. None of the bothered us, but their hollow eye sockets creepily followed us as we walked towards a big set of double doors.

I turned to look at the others. "Ready guys? You know, no matter how much I appreciate it, you don't have to come with me. Heck, you didn't even need to come this far."

Percy grinned nervously at me. "Tala, we didn't come this far to back out now. Besides, we were ordered to see you to your dad, and that's what we're going to do."

"Fine."

I went to the doors, not sure whether to knock or not, but a hot wind blew them open before I could decide.

The room inside, again, looked like the one on Olympus, but with the only throne where Zeus's would be.

It was occupied.

Hades was at least ten feet tall, the same height as the other gods when I was on Olympus, and dressed in black silk robes and a crown of gold. He had albino white skin and jet black hair. I could immediately tell we were related, the only difference was the eye color, and height, of course. He radiated power, like I did when mad. Hades lounged on his throne of fused bones, looking like a panther: lithe, graceful, and dangerous.

I walked towards the throne, with Percy, Annie, and Grover following behind, and awkwardly stood there, trying to decide what to do.

Hades looked at me, studying me. "Daughter. Why have you brought the son of my enemy here; the one who has stolen from me?"

I frowned in confusion. "What do you mean, Father? Who stole what?"

Hades ignored me, looking at Percy, who was still behind me. "You are brave to come here, Son of Poseidon. Very brave indeed, after what you have done to me. Or perhaps you are just extremely foolish."

I was, to put it simply, very confused. Percy had told me he just wanted to see me to Hades safely, nothing about an item stolen from my father. Actually, now that I thought about it, they hadn't really told me anything about their quest, just that they were trying to find Zeus's master bolt before he had a tantrum.

Percy stepped around me to stand in front of me. "Lord and Uncle, I come with two requests."

Hades raised an eyebrow, and, without realizing it, I did the same. "Only two requests?" Hades asked. "Arrogant child. As if you have not already taken too much. Speak, then. It amuses me. Perhaps you will live for a time more."

I actually saw Prissy's (can you tell I'm slightly annoyed with him?) gulp.

Annabeth cleared her throat.

"Right," Percy said. "Look, sir, there can't be a war between the gods. It would be. . . bad."

I snorted slightly at his excellent people (god?) skills, earning a poke in the ribs from Annie.

"Really bad," Grover added helpfully.

Annabeth poked me again before I could comment.

"Return Zeus's master bolt to me," Percy said. "Please, sir. Let me take it to Olympus."

I whipped around to glare at Annabeth and Grover, then turned back to Percy and glared more. "Of all the low, cowardly, idiotic, traitorous, cruel things to do, taking advantage of someone who trusts you is the worst. You bloody—" I continued muttering murderously.

Hades' eyes grew dangerously bright as he also glared at Percy. "You dare keep up this pretense after what you have done?"

"Umm. . . Uncle," Percy hesitated as he glanced back for help. I just crossed my arms over my chest. "You keep saying 'after what you've done'. What have I supposedly done?"

The throne room shook with a tremor so strong it was probably felt all over the city above. Debris fell from the cavern ceiling. Doors burst open all along the walls, and hundreds of skeletal warriors marched in. They lined the perimeter of the room, blocking all the exits.

Hades bellowed, "Do you think I _want_ war, godling?"

I idly thought, _Why does everyone call Percy godling when I'm the actual one here?_ Apparently god/demigod/whatever-you-want-to-call-me people still have ADHD.

"You are the Lord of the Dead," Percy carefully said. "A war would expand your kingdom."

"A typical thing for my brothers to say! Do you think I need more subjects? Did you not see the sprawl of the Asphodel fields?"

"Well. . ."

"Have you any idea how much my kingdom has swollen in this past centaury alone, how many subdivisions I had to open? More security ghouls, traffic problems, double overtime for the staff. I used to be a rich god, Percy Jackson! I control all the precious metal under the earth. But my expenses! And Charon! He's been impossible ever since he discovered Italian suits! Problems abound, and I have to handle them all personally. The commute time from palace to gates alone is enough to drive me insane! And the dead just keep arriving. _No_, godling. I need no help to acquire subjects! _I _did not ask for this war."

"But you took Zeus's master bolt!" Now was not the time to be stupid, Percy! No matter how peeved I was at you, I didn't want you dead.

"Lies!" Hades rose from his throne, growing. "Your father may fool Zeus, but I am not stupid. I see his plan."

"His plan?"

"_You _were the thief on the winter solstice. Your father thought he could keep you a secret. He directed you into the throne room on Olympus. You took the master bolt and my helm. You manipulated my daughter into letting you down here. Had I not sent the Fury after you, Poseidon might have succeeded. But now you have been forced into the open. You will be exposed as Poseidon's thief, and I will have my helm back!"

"But…" Annabeth spoke. "Lord Hades, your helm of darkness is missing, too?"

"Do not play innocent with me, girl. You and this satyr have been helping the hero—coming to threaten me in Poseidon's name, no doubt—to bring me an ultimatum. Does Poseidon think I can be blackmailed into supporting him?"

"No!" Percy sounded horrified. "Poseidon didn't—I didn't—"

"I have said nothing of the helm's disappearance," Hades snarled, "because I had no illusions that anyone on Olympus would offer me the slightest justice, the slightest help. I can ill afford word getting out that my most powerful weapon is missing. So I searched for you myself, and when it was clear you were the easiest way for my daughter to get here, and that you were going to deliver the threat then, I did not try to stop you."

"you didn't try to stop us? But—"

"Return my helm now, or I will stop death," Hades threatened. "That is my counterproposal. I will open the earth and let the dead pour back to the world. I will make your lands a living nightmare. And you, Percy Jackson—_your_ skeleton will lead my army out of Hades."

The skeleton soldiers all took one step forward, leveling their weapons.

"Come here, Atlante." I looked apologetically at my friends, hesitating at leaving them, but remembered their betrayal of me, and went to stand next to Hades.

Percy looked shocked, but that quickly turned into rage, full-blown rage.

"You're as bad as Zeus," he spat. ":You think I stole from you? That's why you sent the Furies after me?"

"Of course, but I also needed to keep my daughter out of Poseidon's clutches. I could not allow him another bargaining tool," Hades stated.

"And the other monsters?"

Hades curled his lip. "I had nothing to do with them. I wanted no quick death for you. I wanted you brought alive to me so that you may suffer every torment in the Fields of Punishment. Why else would I allow you to enter my realm so easily?"

"_Easily?_"

"Return my property!"

"I don't have it! I came for the master bolt!"

"Which you already possess!" Hades roared. "You came here with it, little fool, thinking you could threaten me with it!"

"But I didn't!"

"Open the Child of Athena's pack, then."

Annabeth slid the backpack off and handed it to Percy.

He unzipped it and gasped. I couldn't see what was in it, but I guessed the bolt.

"Percy," Annabeth said. "How—"

"I don't know. I don't understand."

"You heroes are always the same," Hades said. "Your pride makes you foolish, thinking you could bring such a weapon before me. I did not ask for Zeus's master bolt, but since it is here, you will yield it to me. I am sure it shall make an excellent bargaining tool. Now, where is my helm?"

Percy was speechless. Then he seemed to understand something, and said, "Lord Hades, wait. This is all a mistake."

"A mistake?" Hades yelled.

The skeletons aimed their weapons. The Furies flew down to perch on the throne.

"There is no mistake," Hades continued. "I know why you have come. I know the real reason you brought the bolt. You came to bargain for _her_, the foolish mortal who loved my brother."

Hades loosed a ball of gold fire from his palm. It exploded onto the steps in front of Percy, and there was Sally, frozen in a shower of gold.

I stared. Percy reached out to touch her, but couldn't.

"Yes," Hades said with satisfaction. "I took her. I knew, Percy Jackson, that eventually you would come to bargain with me. Return my helm, and perhaps I will let her go. She is not dead, yet. But if you displease me, that will change."

Percy seemed to be thinking hard about something.

"Ah, the pearls," Hades said, and Percy tensed. "Yes, my brother and his little jokes. Bring them forth, Percy Jackson."

Percy did so, showing us three small pearls.

"Only three?" Hades smiled unpleasantly. "What a shame. You do realize each only protects a single person? Try to take your mother, little godling. And which of your friends will you leave behind to spend eternity with me? Choose. Or give me the backpack and agree to my terms."

Percy looked at Annabeth and Grover. They were all grim-faced. I bit my lip, worried for them.

"We were tricked," Percy told them. "Set up."

Annie nodded. "Yes, but why? And the voice in the pit—"

"I don't know yet, but I intend to ask." Percy wore a determined look.

"Decide, boy!" Hades yelled.

Grover put his hand on Percy's shoulder. "You can't give him the bolt."

"I know."

"Leave me here," he said. "Use the third pearl on your mom."

"No!"

"I'm a satyr. We don't have souls like humans do. He can torture me until I die, but he won't get me forever. I'll just be reincarnated as a flower or something. It's the best way."

Annabeth drew her bronze knife. "No. You two go on. Grover, you have to protect Percy. . . and Tala. You have to get your searcher's license and find Pan. Get his mom out of here. I'll cover you. I've always planned to go down fighting, anyway."

"No way," Grover said. "I'm staying here."

"In your dreams, goat boy." Their argument would've been amusing if it wasn't so serious.

"Stop it, both of you!" Percy looked like he was being torn apart. "I know what to do. Take this."

He handed them each a pearl.

"But Percy. . ." Annabeth started.

He turned and faced Sally. "I'm sorry. I'll be back. I'll find a way, I promise."

Hades' face lost the smug look. "Godling. . ."

"I'll find your helm, Uncle," Percy told him.

"Do not defy me. . ."

"By the way, Cerberus likes red rubber balls."

"Percy Jackson, you will not—"

"Now guys!" Percy shouted.

They smashed the pearls at their feet. Nothing happened.

Hades yelled, "Destroy them!"

I looked down.

I heard a scream of rage, and jerked my head up. Percy, Annie, and Grover were floating towards the ceiling alarmingly fast, incased in shimmery bubbles.

They entered the ceiling, and Hades yelled with such rage the entire fortress shook.

ooOOoo

A few minutes later Hades sat back down in his throne with a sigh.

I just stood there awkwardly.

"Alecto," He ordered. "Take Atlante back to camp, then take your sisters and get my helm back."

He looked at me. "Be more careful with your friends, daughter, I will not have a fool as family. Go back, and tell Artemis she may be first."

I nodded. "Yes, Father."

Well, that was awkward.

**AN: So, do you want her to join the fight, or just go back to camp? You'll really hate me next chapter. . .**


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